Jan / Feb 2016

Water Wonderland Newly-opened Pink Elephant Samui Water Park wows not just children but adults too.

Natural Beauty

Searching for treasure at Nature Art Gallery.

A Warm Welcome

Editor

Graeme Malley graeme@siammap.com

Graphic Designer

Jit-anong Sae-ung - Zign

Photographer

Akaphon Phongninlaarphon - Don

Feature Writer Rob De Wet

Feature Writer Dimitri Waring

Feature Writer Natalie Hughes

Feature Writer Karan Ladd

Webmaster

Seksak Kerdkanno - Klauy

Sales & Marketing Director Nipawan Chuaysagul - Ning 0 898 783 891

ning@siammap.com

Financial Director

Kasper Bjørk kasper@siammap.com

Managing Director Henrik Bjørk henrik@siammap.com

Siam Map Company Ltd.

52/6 Samui Ring Road, Moo 3 Bo Phut, Koh Samui, 84320, Thailand Tel: 0 7742 2201 Fax: 0 7741 3523 E-mail: info@siammap.com www.siammap.com

Well here we are again! Another year has come and gone. If you’re lucky enough to be reading this then you’ll have already cast off the slings and arrows of courageous winter. Samui’s dark skies and lashing rain have now faded into a calmer, gentler outlook. So let’s hope your outlook is filled with sunshine, too!

It’s quiet this time of year. The rush of Christmas and New Year’s Eve has ended. But it will soon be time to gird your loins once more! Everyone over here just loves a party and we celebrate no fewer than three New Years. The next one to come around is the Chinese New Year on the 8th of February, and the place to be for this is either Nathon or Maenam, both of which have extensive Chinese communities.

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Siam Map Company Ltd. 2016

But of course there’s another special day coming up on the 14th of February. And if you take a look at the pages inside you’ll get some hints and tips about where to go for those Valentine spa treatments.

Have fun!

Distribution at Bangkok Airport courtesy of Bangkok Airways.

Reservation Center: 1771 Samui Chaweng Office: 0 7760 1300 www.bangkokair.com

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Mediterranean Cuisine Cuisine Mediterranean Amidst Amidstaapanoramic panoramicdreamscape dreamscapethat thatoverlooks overlooks the the pristine pristine Crystal Crystal Bay, Bay, The TheCliff Cliffwarmly warmlyinvites invitesyou youtotoaatruly trulyunforgettable unforgettable dining dining experience experience on on Koh Koh Samui.

Samui.

www.thecliffsamui.com

Wine Spectator Award of Excellence 2014 & 2015 2014

2015

HAPA 2011 - 2013 Most Exquisite Dining Experience Most Trendy Casual Dining Restaurant Of The Year

2005

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2007

2009

2011

2013

2014

2015

"Thailand's Best Restaurants" 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014 & 2015

Reservations Essential For reservations please call 077 448 508 Bar daily 12pm - 2am

www.thecliffsamui.com

Kitchen opens 12pm - 10pm.

Choeng Mon

OPEN DAILY 09:30 AM - 06:00 PM Pink Elephant Samui Waterpark Maenam Soi 1, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320 Tel: 077423548, 077270809

Email: samuiwp@gmail.com samuiwaterpark@gmail.com Web: www.samuiwaterpark.asia Facebook: www.facebook.com/waterparksamui IG: samuiwaterpark

Nathon

Chaweng

Maenam Soi 1

Immigration Office

Kwankao Restaurant

Kirikayan Luxury Pool Villas & Spa

Avanta Condominium

Samui Quads Buffalo Raceway

Paintball

CONTENTS 96

42

22 Big, Bold, Bemusing

Big Buddha challenges you to look beyond

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the superficial.

32 Forest Dreaming

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Tranquillity and bliss on tap, at Tamarind Springs Forest Spa.

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Chef Martin Selby’s straightforward approach to food yields heavenly delights at The Larder.

82

Chandra’s beautiful fashions are inspired by two designers’ journeys round Asia and beyond.

86

Samui Essential Lamai’s ‘The Spa’ is at the heart of the island – and so much more than just the sum of its parts!

From its panoramic hillside perch, Dr Frogs offers a fine dining menu to match the amazing views.

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Water Wonderland

Express Yourself Comfortable, stylish, durable and fun clothes at Psylo.

Money, Money, Money How to manage your finances while holidaying on Samui.

48 View From The Top

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In The Mood to be Wowed Prana Hotels & Resorts take accommodation and dining to new heights.

42 Fashion Frontrunners

Newly-opened Pink Elephant Samui Water Park wows not just children but adults too.

Natural Beauty Searching for treasure at Nature Art Gallery.

38 The Larder’s Loaded

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Swinging Through Life The colourful and dramatic Chinese New Year comes around again – and this time it’s the Year of the Monkey.

There are plenty of exciting reasons to buy into X2 Vibe Samui Nautilus Apartment Hotel.

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Cross Over to a New Way of Life

Toe Tapping Musical maestros The Night Sessions just get better and better.

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Changing Places When it comes to expert advice, few know more about buying property in Thailand than author Rodney Waller.

106 Not in The Hot Seat Don’t want to drive, or ride a motorcycle?

There are other ways of getting around Samui.

112 Natural Hideaway Natural Wing is not only a tip-top spa it has lots of other hidden attractions, too!

118 Resplendent Rocky’s Rocky’s Boutique Resort Koh Samui is making things even better for guests at The Dining Room and Bistro Modern.

124 A Swim in The Park

Don’t miss out on The Angthong National Marine Park, one of the treasures of Thailand.

130 Chef at The Helm Nora Buri Resort & Spa has a brilliant chef to navigate the culinary waters of Samui.

134 Mastermind Air Event & Entertainment brings dance to the island and helps you get super fit.

T H E

H O M E

O F

I N S P I R E D

I N T E R I O R S

Phuket 424 Srisoonthorn Rd. Cherngtalay Tel/Fax: +66 (0) 76 325 419

Samui 9/18 Moo1 Maenam Tel/Fax: +66 (0) 77 247 675

info@oriental-living.net

www.oriental-living.net

An Exclusive Gem on the shores of Koh Samui Prana Resort Nandana invites you to an idyllic Thai sanctuary where traditional charm co-exists with modern comfort, where leisure travellers can bask in nature’s beauty while rejuvenating both body and mind, and business travellers can attend meetings in an atmosphere conducive to inspire creativity.

60 brand new rooms which include 5 direct pool access rooms and 1 Suite Stylish outdoor swimming pool with outdoor jacuzzi and children’s pool

Zama Rooftop Kitchen / Bar Wine Bar 3 function rooms with conference and banquet facilities

On-site signature spa with private treatment rooms

Tour Desk

Fitness Centre

Easy access to the beach

Kids’ Club

3km from Koh Samui Airport

Gift Shop

5km from Fisherman’s Village and Central Festival Samui

Access to Prana Beach Villas’ facilities

Tel: +66 77 246 362

14/3 Moo 4. T. Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani, Thailand 84320 Fax: +66 77 246 369 Email: reservation@pranaresorts.com www.pranaresorts.com

SAMUi’s newest rooftop restaurant serving innovative thai and gourmet european fare

RiSE ABOVE

ROOFTOP KiTCHEN / BAR

Prana Resort Nandana, Bangrak, 14/3 Moo 4. T. Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani, Thailand 84320 Reservations: +66 77 246 362 Email: events@pranaresorts.com www.zamasamui.com

Island Insight An overall guide to Samui’s towns, villages, beaches and hotspots.

Samui is an idyllic tropical paradise. A blend of traditional Thai hospitality and remote island life has joined hands with modern traveller expectations. But the towns, villages and interior are home to much more than just luxury resorts, restaurants, bars and retail shops. And whilst the main beaches are recognised as some of the best in the world, there are also secluded coves and magical hideaways around many corners – if you know where to look. And this quick guide will point you in the right direction.

Chaweng

Chaweng’s main beach is five kilometres in length and is lined with 5-star luxury resorts, boutique hotels, budget accommodation and great oceanfront restaurants.

Behind the resorts, the Chaweng Beach Road is filled with restaurants, bars, spas, shops, street stalls and mobile food vendors. The lake sits to the rear of them and is a wonderful place for an early morning walk or jog. Near the southern end of the lake is the Soi Reggae entertainment area which also has two Muay Thai boxing stadiums, a temple guarded by carved monkeys and the huge Laem Din market complex. All manner of fresh produce is delivered here every day and the adjoining Dow Seafood market is a hive of activity from the early hours.

Lamai

Samui’s second most popular beach is around four kilometres long and the waters are perfect for swimming. There’s plenty of choice in accommodation, restaurants, bars, spas and health resorts. It also has a free Muay Thai event every Saturday and just off the Beach Road there’s a children’s water park. Wat Lamai is home to a cultural centre and museum that houses artifacts of Samui life before the advent of tourism. On Sundays there’s a ‘Walking Street’ along part of the Beach Road.

And just outside of Lamai town on the ring-road is the famous Hin Ta-Hin Yai rock formations that has dozens of small local Thai restaurants around it.

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Mae Nam

Nestled on the northern shores of the island, Mae Nam Beach stretches for several kilometres and overlooks the neighbouring island of Koh Pha-Ngan. High-end resorts and beach bungalows are dotted along the coast and many visitors love it for its peacefulness, soft golden sands and wonderful views. It has seven side streets that meander into the mountains: from Soi 1 you can follow the road over the mountains all the way to Lamai; Soi 4 has a ‘Walking Street’ every Thursday from mid-afternoon and also houses an ornate Chinese temple overlooking the beach and a large Buddhist temple set a few hundred metres back from the ringroad; Soi 5 has a tree-top canopy adventure theme park a few kilometres into the hills; there’s a buffalo fighting stadium a couple of hundred metres off the main road between Soi 5 and Soi 6; an early morning market is also in Soi 6; an evening market near to Soi 7; and the world-class Santiburi Golf Course in the hills above Soi 7. There’re dozens of bars and restaurants in Mae Nam, many of which are on side roads that lead down to the ocean. And at the western end of the beach the Lomprayah ferry takes passengers to the neighbouring islands several times a day.

NathoN

This is the island’s main administrative centre and the major ferry port for boats to and from the mainland. There’re some hotels but it’s more a town you would visit for an afternoon rather than stay in. Beside the terminal, there’s a local food market every day from mid-afternoon until late in the evening. Along what is known as the ‘middle road’ there’re old teak shop-houses and small businesses and a ‘Walking Street’ on Saturdays. And on the one-way road that goes through the town there’re dozens of shops and restaurants. Just off the main road there’s an ornate Chinese temple and garden in Soi 4. And near the far end there’s a renowned open-air duck restaurant – just follow the crowds around lunchtime.

Bo Phut

Bo Phut is best known for Fisherman’s Village. It’s a single narrow street that still has authentic wooden houses that Samui folk have lived in for generations. Parts of it have been modernized but it’s still awash with local foods, international restaurants, bars, shops and market stalls. It becomes one huge ‘Walking Street’ every Friday and you’ll find lots of local delicacies that few other restaurants have. Along with small hotels, there’re several 5-star luxury resorts at the far end and the beach curves around a large bay that also overlooks Koh Pha-Ngan.

And small speedboats leave from the village pier heading for the Full Moon parties that take place there every month.

Big Buddha and Plai Laem

The magnificent golden Big Buddha statue that watches over the island from the north-east corner of Samui is one of the first things you see as you fly into Samui Airport. Built on a tiny island (Koh Farn) with a connecting causeway, it’s the most iconic image of the island. Many Thais pray at the temple so dressing and acting appropriately is expected when you enter the site. There’re some very good Thai restaurants and small stores around the temple. It also affords some beautiful views and along the road from it you’ll see another large Buddha image at Wat Plai Laem. Half-way along the road between the temples is a side road that cuts through to Choeng Mon. Down this road there’s access to some quiet secluded beaches, although some of them are through resorts.

Choeng Mon

Choeng Mon lies just 15 minutes or so from the middle of Chaweng but it seems like worlds away. There’s a small town that the road runs through with a couple of dozen restaurants and bars. The beach is a favourite for many locals as it’s quiet, picturesque and safe for swimming most of the year round. There’s every class of accommodation with some old-style beach bungalows at one end. And they all overlook the tiny deserted island of Koh Farn Noi which you can walk out to if the tide is low.

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Bang Rak

In between Fisherman’s Village and Big Buddha is where you’ll find Bang Rak. There’s a few very good resorts and some private villas for rent along the beachfront that stretches around for several kilometres and has stunning views.

Bars and restaurants line the main street and there’re two piers. The one nearest to Big Buddha has daily ferries to Koh Pha-Ngan, Koh Tao and on to the mainland port of Chumpon, from which a VIP bus takes passengers to Hua Hin and on to Bangkok. Start to finish, it’s a 12-hour journey with about half of it on the boat.

Just beside the ferry terminal in Bang Rak is one of the busiest fish markets on the island. Local fishermen drop their catches here and the place is bustling with people all day long. At the other end of town there’s a short-cut into Chaweng on a road called Soi Bond Kai (which the locals refer to as the ‘Ghost Road’).

Taling Ngam and Lipa Noi

The south-west part of the island is known as the ‘Virgin Coast’. It’s largely unspoiled with lots of secluded bays, although most of the shoreline tends to be rocky. The west coast overlooks the famous ‘five islands’ and some of the closer islands of the Angthong National Marine Park (which is a perfect getaway for a day’s boat trip excursion). In this part of the island there’re some hotels, private villas for rent, up-market and local restaurants and several temples of note, including two that house a mummified monk. A second car ferry terminal is located in Lipa Noi and, like the one in Nathon, boats to and from Donsak on the mainland arrive and depart every hour from 5:00 am until 6:00 pm (check for details). And inland on the island’s main ring-road there’re several large waterfall sites and a safari park with elephant trekking, animal shows and adventure tours. Further along, next to the Ford and Mazda dealers is a new Butterfly and Insect Kingdom Park.

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Hua Thanon

This predominately muslim village is home to the descendants of some of the island’s earliest settlers. There’s still a thriving fishing fleet and fish market and a natural coastline that’s survived the ravages of time. Just after the village (coming from Lamai) you can turn off the ring-road to the left and signs will direct you to the nearby Tiger Zoo, Aquarium and Sea-life Show, the Butterfly Farm, the Snake Farm and the local Rum Distillery.

Thong Krut

With its brightly coloured fishing boats and backdrop of small islands to the one side, and coconut plantations to the other, Thong Krut is a picturesque little village.

Located in the southwest corner of the island, this is where you’ll come if you’re after a long-tail boat to take you to the nearby islands of Koh Tan and Koh Matsum.

Lining the shore you’ll find a selection of simple restaurants offering Thai food, and particularly good seafood, as well as tour operators offering trips to the islands.

The Interior

Samui predominately consists of hills, mountains and coconut plantations. And few visitors make the time to appreciate its hidden beauty. One way to do so is to take the turning into Mae Nam Soi 1. A new road has recently been constructed that goes over the mountains all the way to Lamai. The drive is only about 20-25 minutes over 15 kilometres with a couple of stopping off areas that offer fabulous views. Another way to really get the full picture of Samui is from Tar Nim’s Magic Garden at the top of one of the island’s highest peaks. Built during a 25-year period by a local farmer the stone statues in the garden were sculpted by hand and sit over 2,000 feet above the beaches below.

w w w. t h e l a r d e r s a m u i . c o m 9/114 Moo 2 | Chaweng K o h S a m u i | S u r a t Th a n i 8 4 3 2 0 t: 077-601-259

Open 12pm - 11pm lunch through dinner

AS FEATURED IN

AS FEATURED ON

CHILL DIFFER ENT

Reservations: 077 458 100

/ BeachRepublic

BIG, BOLD, BEMUSING Big Buddha challenges you to look beyond the superficial.

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Big Buddha tends to surprise first-time visitors. Even shock them. No matter how many times you’ve visited temples, it’s not what you expect.

If you’re used to temples that are generally quiet, and good places for meditation, then Big Buddha will prove to be very, very exceptional. It’s not just the most visited temple on Samui, it’s also the island’s most visited tourist spot. It’s extraordinarily popular, yet most holidaymakers who come to see it fail to appreciate what it’s really about, and instead get sidetracked by all the distractions.

Big Buddha was built in 1972, on what used to be a very small island, Koh Fan. To get to it, you had to wade out or go in a boat. Later, a causeway was built, so nowadays you just drive across it and never 24 l www.samuiholiday.com

realise this was a place set apart. The causeway is a narrow strip that sees a lot of traffic. A few people make the journey on foot and if you do, you’ll realize that it’s a great spot for taking photos of the island’s north coast. It’s particularly fine in the evenings, when you can experience beautiful sunsets, or in the cool of the early morning.

Once you actually enter the temple grounds, you probably won’t be aware of the time of day at all; you’ll be so taken up by what’s going on. You’ll find a huge array of stalls, small shops, souvenir stands and restaurants. You can have a drink, snack or meal here and if you’ve left it to the last moment to buy presents for family and friends back home, then you can easily find some great gifts. There are hats, bags and clothes

being sold, along with jewellery, shells and all manner of keepsakes. It’s easy just to get pulled into the unexpected shopping opportunity that’s offered to visitors.

But don’t be deceived. This is all happening on one level, both physically and metaphorically. The island is a hill and if you look up you’ll see the enormous statue of the Buddha that dominates the temple. An impressive staircase heads up to the statue itself, and as you climb you’ll look up to see the immense statue beginning to get ever larger and larger.

Look behind you and the same stalls and shops that clamoured for your attention just minutes ago seem just a momentary distraction. You’ll notice the balustrades are comprised of massive undulating serpents. These are

called naga, and are mythical creatures that chose to protect Buddha when he was resting.

The staircase is both steep and long, and even if you’re in good shape will tend to leave you a bit breathless. But now you’re at the top, you’re in a more refined world. This is the heart of the temple and you’ll find people praying here, kneeling at the base of the statue, deep in contemplation. You can pray here, light a candle or just soak up the atmosphere of the place. If you look out from the temple you can see across to Koh Pha-Ngan, just over 10 kilometres away.

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If you’ve come here to meditate, you’ll be challenged by the noise around you. Beside the statue, there’s a small courtyard which has a series of bells. People are encouraged to walk round the courtyard and make each of the bells ring in turn. And since there are a lot of people who’re doing that, it can get quite noisy!

As for the statue itself; you’ll notice there are two symbols that the Buddha’s head appears to lean against. You’ll see a large wheel, and this is a dharma wheel, the symbol of Buddhist teachings. There’s also a boat, and this is His Majesty the King’s royal barge, which can be seen on special occasions sailing down the river in Bangkok.

Climbing the steps is definitely worthwhile, but the Buddha statue at the top is not the only one; close by the steps themselves you’ll find a small shrine with a very different kind of Buddha statue. You may well be taken aback as this image doesn’t exude an expression of calm but one of fun and happiness. People pray here too, and there are often children

chef’s dinner specials

Overseeing the culinary team at Hansar Samui, born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Chef Stephen began his culinary career at the famed restaurant Les Halles in Quebec, one of the most outstanding independent restaurants in Canada.

A unique opportunity to be the Private Chef to His Majesty the King of Jordan became a turning point in his career and he spent the next two years catering for the Royal Family.

Stephen spent the next five years at the Lebua at State Tower Bangkok (known as the Dome) and within a few years became the Executive Chef at the Sirocco restaurant.

At our beachfront H Bistro restaurant, Stephen has created a unique epicurean experience for guests where they can appreciate the authentic taste of French Mediterranean Cuisine, in addition to a Thai menu.

Stephen Dion

kneeling in front of the statue, hands joined together in devotion.

This Buddha is Maitreya, who is said to be a Buddha who will come at some point in the future, and herald a new age of wellbeing and longevity. As such, he’s a very optimistic figure.

By the way, you’ll find a giant version of Maitreya at nearby Wat Plai Laem, a large temple complex, which Big Buddha is a secondary part of. It’s here at Plai Laem temple you may encounter the abbot who’s in charge of Big Buddha.

To get to Big Buddha, simply drive north along the Bangrak coast road until you come to the turning, marked by a large temple gate; beyond you’ll see the causeway. Crowded as the complex can be, you’ll find ample parking as you follow the road through the temple. Wat Plai Laem is also worth visiting and is just a further few minutes away. To get there, just drive past the Big Buddha turning and follow the road round until you see it.

“an epicurean experience one shouldn’t be missed”

H Bistro at Hansar Samui 101/27-28 Moo 1, Bophut, Koh Samui +66 77 245 511 www.hansarsamui.com www.samuiholiday.com l 27

The Big Buddha complex certainly has a lot to offer its visitors, and out of all the temples you’ll ever see in Thailand, this one will certainly be unforgettable – unless you do no more than go shopping here, which would be sadly missing the very reason for its existence. It’s definitely a place of worship.

Spend a little time here and you’ll see this for yourself. And if you look closely you’ll find a thousand tiny details that will surprise and delight you, and make your visit a memorable experience. Alas, too many people head back across the causeway not having really ‘seen’ Big Buddha at all.

Dimitri Waring 28 l www.samuiholiday.com

The magic is real, naturally.

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rock pools herbal steam cave superb massage 080 569 6654, 084 469 4042

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www.tamarindsprings.com koh Samui thailand Sparadise Ltd. ºÃÔÉÑ· Ê»ÒÃÒä´« ¨Ó¡Ñ´

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FOREST DREAMING Tranquillity and bliss on tap, at Tamarind Springs Forest Spa.

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All l photos courtesy of Tamarind Springs, Samui 34 www.samuiholiday.com

As you approach the entrance and reception area to this award winning spa, just off the ring-road on the outskirts of Lamai, something magical begins to happen. You feel yourself entering another place, in another time.

Here calmness and relaxation begin to blanket you, relieving any stress or anxiety you might feel. You are encouraged to put away phones and cameras and just be, breathing in the awesome natural beauty of this very special, very peaceful place. The site itself is situated on a beautiful hillside forest grove, with giant granite boulders and natural streams. The resort has been developed slowly, and with great care for the sustainability of the natural environment. This is truly a destination for spa lovers, massage enthusiasts and travellers. Anyone in search of the ultimate in relaxation and tranquillity. Great care has been taken to allow visitors access to the diverse tropical environment, but also to preserve and protect it from more destructive alterations. This eco-vision has been accomplished without imposing on any of the intrinsic natural beauty. Expect to experience a uniquely sensuous environment, where sight, smell and sound combine to heighten the experience of ‘sabai’ (the Thai word for feeling relaxed and happy).

You are greeted at reception and your shoes are exchanged for a pair of sandals, suitable for the wet environment, and a Tamarind Cooler, the house drink. You then complete a questionnaire, so that any treatments you are having can be tailored to any specific individual needs. Everything is provided at Tamarind Springs, you don’t need to bring anything extra with you. All items you will need are presented in a natural woven bag for use during your visit; a key for your locker, a towel, two sarongs (one for the spa and another for your massage), and even disposable underwear, also for the massage. You can wear a swimsuit for the spa experience if you prefer.

After changing, you are led to the forest spa. This is a “walking meditation experience”. You pass under a huge boulder into the realm of the steamcave and rock-pool. Here you are surrounded by forest greenery at its finest, watch out for the iridescent colours of the many butterflies. A rustic wooden walkway leads to the relaxation area in a clearing. Here you will find complimentary drinks and even a telephone in case you have any additional requirements. Everything has been thought of. As you are led through the pools and steam-cave areas, you can feel yourself physically and mentally slow down, as you reconnect with the nurturing rhythm of nature. There are two steam caves, one at a higher temperature than the other, and three natural and cooling plunge-pools. A selection of home-made body scrubs are available for you to use, and sun-loungers are located in shady or sunny spots to further your relaxation. All spa packages include at least one and a half hours here, so indulge, unwind, relax and dream. Take your time, don’t worry, someone will come and find you when your massage is due to start or your forest spa experience is approaching an end. A healthy snack is served at some point during your spa experience, either here before your massage or afterwards at the restaurant. The snacks are very tasty, filling and healthy.

A Tamarind Springs massage is an exceptional experience, especially when enriched by a prior visit to the herbal steam-caves and rock-pools. The skin is now softened, the muscles relaxed, the mind is calm and peaceful.

The naturally serene and enchanting forest hillside setting now works its magic and greatly influences how treatments are experienced. All massage therapists are selected from the best in their field, and have accredited training, enabling them to offer treatments at a deeper more intuitive level.

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They pay utmost attention to the individual needs of their clients. Tamarind Springs use the best-known and respected massage therapies, along with carefully chosen, less conventional, but effective treatments. The massages on offer are inspired by ancient Eastern traditions and philosophies, combined with traditional Western methods such as Swedish massage and Manual Lymphatic Drainage. You will definitely find something to suit your individual needs and preferences. The therapists here really take their time; they know the best results emerge from extended and ideally repeated treatments, as each guests’ body and mind slowly but surely respond to the individually attuned massage techniques of the therapist. Here you will truly unwind and enter a state idyllic bliss.

When you are ready after your massage, you descend from your hillside oasis and wander back amongst the forest to the changing area. Here again, you will find everything you need; showers with soap, shampoo and conditioner, more towels, body lotion and even a hairdryer. All products are sourced from a variety of local companies that focus on all-natural high-end herbal ingredients. Again, take your time, there is no rush, luxuriate in your new found calmness and tranquillity until you feel the need to head back to the meeting area and restaurant.

In the two storey almost circular and spaciously refined meeting area, you will find the 9 Seasons Restaurant. Here you will be served your snack in the upstairs restaurant if you didn’t have it earlier. You will also find a menu of assorted, light and tasty dishes including salads, soups and sandwiches, all made from healthy, fresh ingredients. You won’t find any meat here, but they do serve fish which is bought at the local market.

Salad vegetables come from a local hydroponic garden, and they grow some of their own produce such as wild mangos, limes and herbs. The juice bar offers fresh juices, delicious shakes, teas and coffee, as well as a selection of freshly home-baked cookies, brownies and cakes. You certainly won’t go hungry.

In addition to the spa facilities, Tamarind Springs also offers yoga retreats in a purpose built space, as well as accommodation. Contact reception for more information. Here you will find the ultimate destination to relax and unwind from the stress and pressures of work and life in general. Whatever the weather, it is the perfect start to any visit to Samui. Make sure you call to make a reservation, and allow yourself to transcend into the calm and tranquil holiday mood you deserve.

Karan Ladd

___________________________________________________________________ For more information, telephone 0 805 696 654 or 0 844 694 042. www.tamarindsprings.com

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THE LARDER’S LOADED Chef Martin Selby’s straightforward approach to food yields heavenly delights at The Larder.

Once upon a time, some people seemed to think that anything and anyone even remotely connected to British food culture wasn’t quite up to par with the French or the Italians. But now that’s all changed, and Britain is definitely a world leader when it comes to cuisine. Britain also produces great cooks, too. Needless to say, their dishes don’t have to be British in origin, nor do they have to use products that grow only in the chill, watery British climes. They’re influenced by Europe and the world beyond.

Martin Selby is a young chef who started off learning his trade in England, and has evolved a philosophy of simplicity, one that stems in part from his background and early days. He comes from Grantham in the UK, an area unfamed for gastronomy, yet surrounded by magnificent farming territory. He learned to trust his roots, even at a time when British food wasn’t exactly en-vogue, and when French styles were looked to for inspiration. He recalls that when he was first training, he really needed to have a good command of French. “In the kitchens everywhere, you’d hear a lot of French being used – because back then so much of the food culture was to do with France. All of that started changing...” He was soon learning how to get the very best out of local ingredients and putting down the foundation for his future culinary skills. He gradually evolved a style of cooking that really manages to tick all the boxes. It’s uncomplicated and unpretentious – though brilliantly tasty. And it certainly does harken back to his first beginnings in the restaurant business. “Where I was working, people would come to the kitchen back door holding up fish or fowl for sale. It was very down-to-earth.”

He formally began his training in the prestigious De Vere Group’s Belton Woods Hotel where he experienced all aspects of food and beverage, including fine dining, sports bars, carvery restaurants and conferences and even banqueting for up to 500 guests.

His boss then selected Martin to join him in a new fine dining restaurant located in Newcastle-under-Lyme, No.1 King St, a small eatery focusing on modern European cuisine. Martin was now one of a handful of chefs operating the restaurant, which soon won two prestigious rosette awards. Next on the agenda was a chef de partie position at Barnsdale Lodge Hotel on the shores of Rutland Water, and after a stint there, Martin felt it was time for something very different - travel.

In 2007, he left the UK and journeyed through New Zealand and Australia before heading to Asia and to Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, Burma and Thailand. On the hoof he learned and sampled Asian foods, flavours and produce. Martin fell in love with Thailand, and in particular Samui. He settled here, working first as western sous-chef at boutique hotel, The Library, where he worked closely with the hotel’s designer on creating menus, then received an exciting offer to be executive chef at Beach Republic.

He went on to work with vegetarian cuisine at Prana Resorts and Spa, and then went to RockPool in Kanda Resort.

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Martin is definitely here to stay. He speaks quite fluent Thai. Much like the way he learned cooking Martin says he just ‘ran with it’, speaking it the whole time and practicing until he was able to string together most of what he wanted to say. He’s married and has a little boy, Aran, who was born right here on Samui. He decided it was time to take the plunge and start his own restaurant, and it was thus that The Larder was created. He opened it along with his friend Damian Ahern, a food and beverage maestro, who makes amazingly innovative cocktails. The duo have a fine grasp of what works, what truly pleases and what makes their diners nod with satisfaction.

salted caramel walnuts, along with a grilled pear and gem salad, or Original Gravlax, where home-cured salmon is accompanied by softboiled quails’ eggs, asparagus and house dressing. For main dishes at dinner, Bellyfull lives up to its name: it’s 12 hour confit belly pork with roasted carrots, bread sauce & parsnip purée. Or how about Flame On? – This is char-grilled Wagyu beef rump along with rocket, stilton and quince salad. These examples give you an idea of the excellence that’s on offer – along with playfully-named dishes. Martin conveniently lists both the lunch and dinner menu on the website, and in addition there are specials listed on the chalkboard at The Larder.

Martin describes The Larder as being a very relaxed restaurant-cum-bar, almost a gastro-pub. “It’s casual fine dining; it’s a very relaxed place and people like to stay,” he says. He mentions that when he books tables, they’re booked for an afternoon or an evening – no serial seating at all.

He wants people to take it easy and not feel rushed. “Plenty of diners come at 7:00 pm and are still there at 11. That’s how things should be, the way I like them to be.” The Larder is definitely the very opposite of one of those restaurants where the kitchen’s a white-knuckle ride, cranking out hundreds of plates an hour.

The Larder is very easy to find. If you drive north of Chaweng, along the beach road, you’ll come to it about a kilometre from Samui International Hospital and right across the road from Anantara Lawana. If you’re driving, you’ll find a small car park right next to the restaurant. It’s open daily from midday to 11:00 pm daily (last orders in the kitchen are at 10:00 pm).

At The Larder, the dining room hums with sheer pleasure as guests tuck into a cuisine that has British touches, plenty of European ones, and even Japanese. That doesn’t mean to say that the dishes are a mish-mash that somehow works, with the restaurant riding along under a flag of convenience and aiming to please the crowds. The creations don’t need to be justified with flashy complications. The food’s without pretention.

It’s simple and honest. It’s British and European fare, with international touches. You’ll find a mix of comfort food and classics that have been revived and re-invigorated, given love and attention, together with a superb wine list. Diners who live on the island come back again and again; holidaymakers go away wowed and also return. Martin manages to get the most out of each and every ingredient. There’s joy in eating his dishes. For appetizers, try Herder Rumour, or warm goat’s milk cheese,

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For a Sunday that’s a bit different from most, Martin offers a very popular Sunday roast with two different meats, served from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm. That’s not all; at the same time you can also opt to build your very own Bloody Mary with a variety of ingredients all handily placed on a central table. (After 6:00 pm, you’re welcome to choose from the à la carte menu.)

Martin’s approach to food, dining and sheer enjoyment at the table makes The Larder a very fine place to eat indeed. And last but never least; he manages to keep prices very affordable, too.

Dimitri Waring

___________________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7760 1259. www.thelardersamui.com

FASHION FRONTRUNNERS Chandra’s beautiful fashions are inspired by two designers’ journeys round Asia and beyond.

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The Chandra concept was born on Koh Samui in 2003, by Dana Cohen and Barak Weiss, who both came from artistic and fashion backgrounds. They created exotic resort wear boutiques with original collections for women and men. They now have three branches, two boutiques on Chaweng Beach Road, Koh Samui, and a flagship shop at Surin Beach, Phuket.

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Designer & Styling: Dana Cohen Photographer & Designer: Barak Weiss Photographic Assistant & Lighting: Uziel Amir Hair & Makeup: Alena Lewis Models: Dream Chanokporn Sayoungkul & Matthiew Inglese Shooting Location: Iniala Beach House Phuket www.iniala.com www.chandra-exotic.com

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VIEW FROM

THE TOP

From its panoramic hillside perch, Dr Frogs offers a fine dining menu to match the amazing views.

Few restaurants have everything going for them: location, great food, and a wonderful ambience. Critics may debate forever how they got that way, how much a part sheer luck played, or unremitting hard work, or the configuration of a dream team. But at the end of the day, it’s the guests’ pleasure that’s all-important. And Dr Frogs has a great many satisfied diners. People like to come back, again and again. It’s a triedand-tested restaurant, one of those places that’s extraordinarily good at what it does.

In charge of the restaurant you’ll find a veritable Italian maestro, Massimo Marianni. He’s an affable figure, and one of those professionals who make everything look very easy. In reality he’s a master of both classical and modern Italian cuisine – and of course, everything in-between. He started out as a humble kitchen helper when he was just 15 years old. He worked in the storied Via Montenapoleone, one of the hippest streets in his home-town of Naples, and the centre of its fashion industry. He’s been on Samui for 14 years, and has spent the last six heading the culinary team at Dr Frogs.

Dr Frogs is right next to the popular viewpoint as you head south of Chaweng on the ring-road in the direction of Lamai. It’s set on the first of the hills after Impiana Resort. The view from the restaurant is the same as

Lamai Beach: 0 7723 0855 & Lamai Valley: 0 7742 4666, 0 7725 6615

that from the viewpoint itself – stunning. You can see the entire bay of Chaweng, all the way up to the northernmost point and the offshore island of Koh Matlang. Depending on the time of day you visit and the mood of the sky and sea, look down and you’ll see waves that might be blue, turquoise or green. This is definitely not your average seaside restaurant, even in Thailand, where they’re already in a class of their own. No matter how many times you come to Dr Frogs, the view is always eye-catching.

The only distraction from the view is the food itself, which is amazingly good. Massimo and his team serve the finest quality imported meat and cheeses, along with a gamut of Italian products, some of which are quite hard to find here in Thailand.

Naturally Massimo knows how to get hold of them, and at prices that mean you won’t be breaking the bank.

The à la carte menu concentrates on traditional, classic Italian fare of the highest quality. You can try home-made pasta, such as Crespelle al Salmone Affumicato, which consists of folded ricotta and smoked salmon crêpes, pink besciamella and Laotian parsley, or the popular Penne Alfredo, a Rome-style dish of chicken breast, porcini mushrooms and peas in a creamy tomato sauce.

This is the original health destination on Koh Samui offering only the best Vegetarian, Raw and Healthy Thai Food. Listed as one of the 50 best restaurants in the world.

Over 17 years serving the freshest mouthwatering healthy food.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

Daily @ both locations 7:00 am until 9:30 pm.

Radiance is a part of The Spa Resorts.

Lamai Beach: 0 7723 0855 & Lamai Valley: 0 7742 4666, 0 7725 6615

Risottos are excellent too, and highly recommended is the salsiccia, or sautéed Italian sausage in white wine. It’s simply presented yet extremely satisfying.

Dr Frogs is also known for its lobster thermidor. Massimo oven-bakes it in tarragon cream sauce with shallots and parmesan on a bed of lettuce.

By the way, all seafood mains are served with a choice of French fries, mashed or sautéed potato or jasmine rice.

Meat lovers can choose between Australian Fillet Steak, and Angus Beef Skewers, with bell peppers and shallots, and there’s also herb-roasted lamb tenderloin. You’ll also find Mountaineer Steak, which is something quite unusual for Samui - a generous portion of Black Angus rib-eye with cheese fondue. These are just a few examples out of a longish menu, which you can also see in its entirety on the official website.

There’s also a range of great-tasting pizzas. Dr Frogs, according to its owner, is ranked as having Samui’s number one pizza – and this for the fifth consecutive year. Check out the blackboards, meanwhile, for daily and weekly specials, including line-caught fresh fish and imported live French oysters. You’ll also find live Alaskan lobsters and a selection of whatever’s fresh and seasonal at the time you visit. You can also enjoy home-made Italian sausages – these are definitely some of the tastiest you’ll find on Samui, as well as some very yummy home-made ice-cream.

Desserts at Dr Frogs are certainly not to be missed and are one further temptation that the restaurant offers its guests. There’s also a Thai menu which comprises a medley of the nation’s favourite dishes; just as with the international fare, freshness and vibrant tastes are prime considerations here.

The staff are extremely attentive and are always immediately on hand if you need anything. They’ll help make your dining experience a memorable one, and will do all they can to make you feel at home.

They can also suggest which wines go with which dishes – Dr Frogs has an impressive list of wines from both the new and old worlds, with something to suit every pocket. They have perhaps one of the largest selections of house wines on the island; there are 14 to choose from.

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You’ll also find a range of champagnes and sparkling wines. Basically, whatever you’re in the mood for, Dr Frogs is able to provide. And with the superb views, this is definitely one place where a sundown drink is de rigueur.

It’s really worth phoning ahead and booking a seaside table before sunset. Once you’ve arrived you’ll be able to enjoy watching the lights come on all along the bay. There’s live music too. Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday you can enjoy the award-winning acoustic guitar player and singer, Oliver Jones. This is music that goes well with the ambience and is very enjoyable but without being a distraction from the food.

Over the years Dr Frogs has become something of an institution. You’ll find not just holidaymakers coming here, but also many of the island’s residents. Diners come back year after year from all over the world. It’s also recommended for families who want to enjoy an excellent menu while ensuring that their children also have dishes that they’ll recognize and enjoy.

Dr Frogs is accomplished at hosting birthday parties and gatherings of every kind. The restaurant specializes in weddings and wedding receptions and can cater for up to 100 guests for à la carte or sit-down meals. It’s also the restaurant for the Boujis Boutique Resort, a brand-new secluded hotel that occupies the beach just beneath the restaurant. And it’s here that weddings are held, right by the water, in a very secluded beach setting. There’s a car park right outside the restaurant itself, by the way. Opening hours are daily from midday until midnight, with the kitchen closing at 11:00 pm.

Dr Frogs offers beautiful views, an excellent menu and very helpful staff, making this restaurant a hard-to-beat choice.

Dimitri Waring

____________________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7744 8505. www.drfrogssamui.com

HAND-MADE JEWELRY MADE TO ORDER. GOLD, SILVER, LEATHER, PRECIOUS AND SEMI PRECIOUS STONES. TWO LOCATIONS IN CHAWENG: 1ST: CHAWENG BEACH ROAD, PHONE: +(66)0 7742 2594 2ND: CENTRAL FESTIVAL SAMUI 2ND FLOOR, PHONE: +(66)0 7796 3811 WWW.THAILAND-JEWELRY.COM Nature Art Gallery Central Festival Samui CHAWENG BEACH ROAD

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WONDERLAND Newly-opened Pink Elephant Samui Water Park wows not just children but adults too.

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Water! It’s one of the reasons you’ve come to Samui – to enjoy swimming in the bluest of seas, and all the while enjoying the heat and the endless sunny days. You might think that being on an island there’s enough sea for everyone. There is, but the sea isn’t for everyone. Or at least not everyone all the time. So there are swimming pools too – hundreds of them. Seen from the air, Samui is liberally dotted with them, and unless you’re in the centre of the island, then there will be one close to you. In all probability if you look up from this magazine, you’ll even be able to see a pool, or at least be no more than a hundred metres away from one. So isn’t that enough water?

Sure. But most pools aren’t geared up to providing activities as well.

And that’s why there are water parks. These are relative newcomers not just to Samui but also to Thailand as a whole. There aren’t many as yet.

And people aren’t quite sure what they are. In fact, many holidaymakers are inclined to think that they’re no more than just large-scale swimming pools. But they have a lot more going on than any swimming pool. Or even the sea itself. Let’s take a look...

Pink Elephant Samui Water Park is a world apart from any of the usual attractions on the island. Strangely enough, it’s inland, rather than being near the sea. It looks out on to pastureland, mountains and towards the island’s ever-present jungle. To get there is very easy: just head towards the eastern edge of Maenam, you’ll see a big signpost for Pink Elephant a couple of hundred metres past the post office. Turn left here, and follow Soi 1 as it heads in the direction of the hills, and you’ll soon see the water park. It’s open daily from 9:30 am until 6:00pm.

Once there you’ll be in for a big, big dose of fun – and that includes your children too, of course. It’s one of the few places where the old adage ‘fun for all the family’ really does turn out to be true, rather than leaving one or other of that hypothetical family wishing they’d stayed at home. Indeed, whether you’re an adult, teenager or young child, then fun is the order of the day here.

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The park has a ‘river’ that surrounds it. It’s some 300 metres long and has an artificially generated current; floatation devices are on hand to carry you the entire length. Just hop on board, make yourself comfortable and let the current do the rest. You can also swim along the river and have fun circling the park under your own steam. Then there’s a wave pool, which is exactly what it suggests. Children love it – and so too do adults.

The park is so new that it’s not that well known on the island, but as word gets around it soon will be. One of the things that everyone is going to find a favourite activity is riding the flumes. Sit inside, let yourself go and be borne along for an exhilarating ride. There are several of these, varying from the very gentle, for young children, to the challenging. Try the ‘twister’, which certainly is well-named: you twist and turn as you travel along the slide – it’s an adrenalin rush, to say the least. Children will also love the lighthouse tower, a central attraction in the park: climb up high and then slide down to the agreeably cool water below. If children have had enough of the water (difficult to imagine) then they’ll want to head to the pirate ship, where they can let their imaginations run riot.

Very small children won’t of course like slides and flumes, but they’ll still enjoy the paddling pools, which are just for them. Remember though how fierce the tropical sun is – even if it’s hidden by clouds – and keep in mind that you’ll need to keep on applying the sun screen. You’ll find plenty of shade at the water park and it’s a good idea to make use of it

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when you aren’t in the water. Life guards are all around the park, but it’s strongly recommended that parents closely look after their children. The life guards also make sure that everyone follows the rules and regulations that are in place.

Naturally, you’ll also find a restaurant here. It serves everything from simple snacks and drinks to full-scale meals. You’ll find plenty of Thai favourites, as well as Western fare like steamed salmon, chicken nuggets and French fries. There are also two bars where you can sit back and relax over a drink; these are both at the edge of the park in the quietest areas. One of these has Jacuzzis, so you can really relax while having your drinks. And there’s also a coffee and ice-cream area, more centrally located.

If you’re looking for a place that’s different, has plenty going on and is guaranteed to give you and your children a great day out, then head to Pink Elephant Samui Water Park. It’ll probably turn out to be one of the highlights of your holiday!

Dimitri Waring

_____________________________________________________________ For reservations or further information telephone 0 7742 3548. www.samuiwaterpark.asia

Welcome to Morya Pharmacy, your one-stop healthcare destination on Samui. 欢迎来到苏梅岛度假胜地之一的 Morya Pharmacy The new definition of a full service pharmacy. 以全方位服务理念为新定义的药房

The best and largest range of healthcare and organic products, gifts and souvenirs on Samui. 是苏梅岛规模最大，产品最优的生产有机产品、 礼品和纪念品的制造保健中心

EXPRESS YOURSELF

clothes at Psylo.

Comfortable, stylish, durable and fun

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Imagine; an ethnic tribal art gallery, a fashion museum, London’s Camden Town, travelling, self-expression, earthy tones, comfortable adventure clothes, tattoo type prints, organic fair-trade cotton, leather, metal, belts, buckles, shoes and boots... and mix it all together. All this and more can be found at the two Psylo fashion stores in Chaweng. At first you may think it’s just another clothes store, but as you look around you realise it is so much more. On the walls you can see giant wooden masks from Papua New Guinea and huge wooden picture frames from Bali. Hanging from the ceiling there are hand-made metal lamps. The concept is attributed to a way of thinking, a way of life. Everything is connected to nature, and is the brainchild of four intrepid travellers originally from Israel and Iran.

Whilst travelling, they realized that the clothes they wanted and needed for their personal expression and their adventurous lifestyles were not easy to find. So as they hiked in the Amazon jungle, climbed the Himalayas and travelled between cities worldwide, they began to design and make the natural, comfortable, stylish yet fun clothes they needed for their individual lifestyles.

Two of these original travellers founded the company, and the Psylo brand, in 1999, and since then the company has expanded into a creative team with a design studio and full manufacturing facilities based in Bali, Indonesia. The design team finds inspiration in historical and world-wide tribal and ethnic art. They are influenced by tattoos, body art and primitive, sacred symbolism, combined with the 21st century manifestation of music and fashion. Bali is famed for its strong traditions of design, arts and crafts. The tailors and artisans who are employed are all personally trained and are competent in the complex and cutting-

edge stitching techniques, mineral washes, screen printing, hand knitting and variety of application techniques, combined with the highest quality fabrics. Men’s, women’s, children’s clothing and accessories are all designed and handmade here. Every piece has to pass quality control before it is packed and sent to one of the stores. And this is definitely no sweatshop environment. The Psylo team firmly believe that employees are their most valuable asset, and are sensitive to their needs. All are paid above the average salary, get bonuses for extraordinary effort and are treated fairly and humanely. No children are employed and health insurance is standard for all staff. This does increase production costs, but rest assured all their clothing is reasonably priced. Okay you won’t find cheap and cheerful here, but you will find good quality original designs at reasonable prices and exceptional value for money.

Despite moving with the times in terms of business, the Psylo team still apply their original ideas and values. The design of the clothes is carefully thought through to achieve an authentic, already-worn feel. The materials used are mainly natural organic cottons and silks that feel so soft and comfortable, yet are durable and hard-wearing. T-shirts give you that ultimate feeling of almost not wearing anything at all. Today, Psylo clothes have developed into a fusion of fringe style and urban street fashion - attention grabbing and artistic. All clothing is unique with the ultimate combination of individualism and simplicity. Here you will discover clothes and accessories that are alternative, that stand out from mainstream commercial fashion. They are perfect for those who push themselves beyond limitations, expressing themselves freely. No luminous full moon party singlets will be found here, just natural, earthy tones and wearable individual designs.

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Despite the edgy designs, these are clothes that suit all ages and all types of people. Wander around the store, take your time, this is a calm nopressure environment. Investigate the designs, prints and motifs, try on a few items. These are clothes that are designed to be worn; they may look interesting on a hanger, but they will definitely look even better on your body, and they will feel amazingly comfortable. You can mix and match with a full range of leather belts, bags, wristbands, boots and shoes. Psylo is an international brand with flagship stores in Bali, London, Mexico and Samui. Hence its designs are seasonal. Right now the stores are stocking the winter and spring ranges. You will still find clothes to wear on Samui right now, but you can also find unique and individual items that are perfect to wear anywhere in the world. And with online shopping you can keep up-to-date with their latest designs and collections.

There are currently two Psylo stores on Samui, both conveniently located in central Chaweng. One can be found on the beach road. Go south past Soi Green Mango to the next Family Mart and the Psylo store is across the road. The other store is located inside Central Festival Shopping Mall.

You will find it on the ground floor next to the escalator and below the AIS shop. Be sure to watch the videos playing in both stores. In between the fashion shoots, they show the design studio and factory in Bali, highlighting the ongoing cutting, sewing, appliquĂŠing and screen printing in progress, by the happy and relaxed Balinese staff. So when you have had your fill of market stalls, and the heat and buzz of Chaweng, head for the cool, individual environment and styles that Psylo has to offer.

Karan Ladd

_____________________________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 7726 5157 (Chaweng Beach Road), 0 7741 0452 (Central Festival shopping mall) or 0 879 288 748. www.psylofashion.com

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BOUTIQUE RESORT KOH SAMUI

The Dining Room is open Monday to Saturday for dinner, closed Sunday The Bistro is open every day for lunch and dinner

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SWINGING THROUGH LIFE The colourful and dramatic Chinese New Year comes around again – and this time it’s the Year of the Monkey.

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More than 2,000 years ago, The Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on the first day of the New Year. Only 12 of them came. But Buddha was so impressed that he bestowed a special favour upon them, and named a different year after each one. Furthermore, from this point on, any human born in the corresponding years would absorb elements of that animal’s character into their personality. The last Year of the Monkey was in 2004. And this year it’s come around again.

Monkeys are interesting: mercurial, impetuous, lively, alert and curious.

They crave enjoyment, activity and stimulation. And the human ones can range from being singers to sensualists to scientists. If you were born in any of these years – 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992 or 2004 – then the monkey is your Chinese astrological sign. Tom Hanks, Buster Keaton, Bette Davis and Will Smith are all monkeys.

The actual date of each Chinese New Year varies. It’s calculated by the Chinese Lunar Calendar, and the first day of the New Year occurs between January 21st and February 20th, according to the phases of the moon. This year it’s going to happen on Monday February 8th.

To most people the Chinese New Year is all about colourful street processions with banners and giant dragons, bright red lanterns and lots of firecrackers. It’s one of the most celebrated sights in the world, and many plan their holiday period precisely so that they can get away somewhere and enjoy it to the full – very much like, for instance, the water festival of Songkran, the Thai New Year. But there’s more to the Chinese New Year than meets the eye. Think about the Western celebration of Christmas. It doesn’t just suddenly happen on December 25th. Before this time there are weeks of preparations.

On Samui, there are Chinese-based communities in a number of places, but none more extensive than in Maenam and Nathon. And you’ll find that the middle road in Nathon, and Maenam’s Soi 4 Walking Street will have been strung across with lanterns and closed to vehicles in advance of the event. You’ll also find celebrations at the imposing Guan Yu Shrine in Hua Thanon. That will be on the 8th of February. But for several weeks prior to this, people have been busy, gift-lists have been drawn up and new clothes and presents bought, along with material for decorations, plus all the traditional festive foodstuffs have been bought and stored in readiness.

This is a time of new beginnings. A time when old rivalries and animosities are forgotten, and thoughts turn towards a new and fresh horizon. And this cleanliness of spirit is personified with a massive house cleaning that often lasts for weeks. Every room is emptied, and every nook and cranny scrubbed clean. Windows are polished until they gleam. Then the doors and window frames are given a fresh coat of paint and decorated with paper cut-outs and scripts with proverbs about happiness, wealth and 68 l www.samuiholiday.com

longevity. All this is to purge the unhappiness or disappointment from the old year and to encourage the spirits of good luck and prosperity for the year to come.

You won’t be aware that this is going on. But there are lots of hints and clues. Ten days before the first day of the New Year, hundreds of red and gold lanterns will appear, strung across streets and between houses, and banners and scripts will start being hung in windows. Hotels and resorts will certainly put a few up, here and there. But you’ll need to head to one of the local centres, as already mentioned, to catch the real show, especially at night.

And this is the point at which the legend of the Nian begins to emerge. This mythical beast would appear without fail on the first day of each New Year.

It devoured all in its path; people, cattle, crops. But most of all it loved little children. And so, to protect themselves, people started putting food on their doorsteps in the hope that the monster would be distracted and wander away, satisfied. It seemed to work, except for the fact it still couldn’t resist a toothsome infant. And then came the day on which the Nian turned away from a child dressed in red. Thus, the following year every house was draped with red lanterns and equipped with red fireworks and firecrackers.

Although the Nian was never seen again, the tradition survived and continues to this day.

The first official day of the New Year is actually referred to as ‘The Day of The Nian’. And the parade is really all about ridding the world of bad spirits whilst summoning the good ones to take their place. To an earsplitting din of drums, gongs and firecrackers, a long procession of red-clad figures moves from house to house, driving out the last of the bad things, and with the huge bobbing lion (Hong Bao) accepting small red packets of money in exchange for the token nourishment of a handful of green vegetables. And then, officially cleansed and purified, the householders join in and swell the procession. Then, in the evening, out on the streets, long tables are set for a community dinner and party.

Even though the parade is over, during the next few days the ritual continues. Prayers are said and gifts are exchanged with neighbours and the local temple. Finally, 15 days after Nian, on the occasion of the approaching full moon, the official end of the New Year is marked by the gentle ‘Festival of Lanterns’.

At which point we say to you ‘Guo Nian Hao’, and we sincerely hope you enjoy it!

Rob De Wet.

HANSAR Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Spa 154 Moo 2, Chaweng Beach, Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320 Tel: +66 77 231 500 Mob: +66 81 751 6073 Fax: +66 77 231 520 Email: info@baanhaadngam.com, booking@baanhaadngam.com, www.baanhaadngam.com

Romantic views, soothing sounds and classic Italian fare with a modern approach combine to please the most discerning diner.

Olivio - a must for visitors and locals alike.

Olivio ~ beachfront at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort Chaweng Beach.

Free round trip transfer from Chaweng, Bophut and Choeng Mon. For reservation please call 0 7723 1500

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NATURAL BEAUTY Searching for treasure at Nature Art Gallery.

It is not often that you walk into a shop and just have to pause, take a deep breath and say ‘wow’. But that is exactly what happens when you walk into one of the Nature Art Gallery shops. You are involuntarily forced to stop, appreciate and be mesmerized by the magical aura and atmosphere of the Aladdin’s cave of all things shiny and sparkly. The polished wooden interior, the chandeliers suspended from the ceiling and the mesmerizing display cases of gems and artistic jewellery, introduce you to opulence and magic. Welcome to the mysterious world of stones.

In ancient times, shamans, priests and healers used crystals and stones for protection and healing. Their power and beauty have a proven effect on many people who come in contact with them. Crystals are chunks of pure energy that sparkle and call out to you. It is said that their power can lift your spirits, heal your body and even open chakras. Amongst these are amber, emeralds and jade.

Amber is the golden brown fossilized resin of ancient pine trees that was formed about 50 million years ago. It is said to promote our ability to self-heal, remove fears and give stability. It supports our ability to make calm, clear decisions and can increase your inner-strength whilst promoting self-confidence. It also protects from radiation, especially that caused by the sun and computers.

Emeralds are the deepest, clearest green, and have been used in the past for rejuvenation and regeneration, but they can do so much more. They are said to offer considerable help and support with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and epilepsy.

Emeralds are believed to normalize blood pressure and help with all kinds of heart and kidney complaints. They activate self-healing, promote intuition and emanate peace and harmony for the body and soul. They are also guides in meditation and are rumoured to be talismans for travellers.

The ancient Chinese used the many different colours of jade to inspire courage, wisdom, justice and humility. It is still known as the stone of health, wealth and long life. If placed under your pillow it can assist in dream recall. Jade has a gentle, steady energy making it a very good stone for meditation.

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Micha Trav (pronounced Mika) and his partner Shai Shalom Nissim, the owners and creators of Nature Art Gallery have learnt about and experienced the power of stones over many years of travel, and the shops are their way of sharing their passion and love of stones with you.

Originally from Israel, they have over 20 years of combined travel and living experience in the Orient. They have both developed a deep appreciation and knowledge of the world of crystals, stones and gems.

Micha first began to work with stones when he travelled to India. He found his passion in Goa, where he began his life journey, turning towards a more spiritual and healthy lifestyle, and sourcing crystals and stones so that he could design and make exquisite jewellery. In later travels, Micha happened upon Koh Phangan, one of Samui’s neighbouring islands. He discovered that it had a special energy, a creative atmosphere and was also a source of natural crystals. He decided this would be the ideal place to live and share his healing creations. Shai, meanwhile, worked predominantly with silver jewellery in Japan for seven years, and in that time taught himself how to balance chakras. He later studied massage and alternative medicine, including energy work. This gave him a more complete and complex understanding, and an outlet for his work with crystals and precious stones.

As a team, Micha and Shai bring together an extensive love and understanding of the power of crystals, gems and stones within jewellery.

They aim to share this knowledge with you by informing and educating visitors about the properties of the stones, and creating unique jewellery that is not only beautiful to see and to wear, but is also naturally healing.

The shops sell a wide variety of unique, individual jewellery made from gold, silver, precious and semi-precious stones and crystals, as well as loose gems, stones, rocks, fossils, shells and crystals. There is also a smaller selection of hand-made leather bags, belts and other accessories. Each store has a seemingly infinite myriad of sparkles. There are earrings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants and rings. The designs come from all over the globe, including from artists in Bali, Italy and the famous Israeli ‘wearable art’ designs from Bat Ami. It really is an excellent gallery-type environment. Here you can browse to your heart’s content, perusing the amazing deep colours and patterns of the stones that our natural world so excels at. www.samuiholiday.com l 73

Upstairs in the Chaweng Beach Road shop, is an old style jewellery factory. Here, Anup and Rajendra, two of the five Nepalese workers, sit and design intricate patterns and combinations with different stones, before making the finished product from silver or 18 carat gold.

If you really can’t find that specific piece of jewellery that you are after, you can discuss any ideas you may have with Micha or the other staff.

They will help you bring your ideas to life with a bespoke service. This includes inspiration if required, help with the design stage, and finally making your ideas a reality by producing an exquisite original piece just for you. You can choose your metal and stones, gems or crystals from the store, or even bring in an existing item and have it melted down and re-designed into something more aligned to your present day taste. A great piece of memorabilia from your stay on Samui, and you will leave wearing a truly original bespoke piece of art. This service takes from one to three days, depending on the workmanship involved.

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There are currently four Nature Art Gallery locations in Thailand, and two of them can be found on Samui. Both are in easy to find locations with great access, and safe, plentiful parking at the Central Festival Shopping Mall. The first is on Chaweng Beach Road, and is a large corner shop almost opposite Starbucks. The second is in Central Festival itself. You will find it on the second floor in the Bird Cage zone. The other two stores are to be found in Koh Phangan and they are both in the Haad Rin shopping area.

The Nature Art Gallery shops are always popular with both locals and tourists. Be sure you don’t miss out. As Micha says “Come on in, and let the stone choose you”.

Karan Ladd

_______________________________________________________ For more information, telephone 0 7742 2594. www.thailand-jewelry.com

IN THE MOOD TO BE WOWED Prana Hotels & Resorts take accommodation and dining to new heights.

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Half way along the bay of Bangrak, you’ll find a rather special resort, Prana Hotels & Resorts, which unusually consists of two hotel properties; the original Prana Beach Villas and the newer Prana Resort Nandana.

Prana Beach Villas is a well-established resort, and its guests love the seaside location, where you can literally jump off the restaurant terrace and find yourself on Bangrak beach. It’s a great place for swimming, and doesn’t see the sheer numbers of holidaymakers that Chaweng and Lamai do. Guests are assured of great attention with the staff being friendly and welcoming.

Prana Resort Nandana is home to 60 brand new rooms. To get to them, you pass through an atrium that must surely be unique in hotel architecture. The style’s called ‘khwaang’ and certainly isn’t an expression you’ll find in any reference book, no matter how detailed it may be. The word is Thai and refers to a longish basket-style fish trap.

If you stand in the atrium and look up you’ll see the shape, acting as a stylish centrepiece around which the lobby is loosely built. It adds lightness to the resort and, isn’t at all gimmicky. Visitors always stop to have a look because they’ve never seen anything quite like this before.

It’s eye-catching without being an eye-sore.

Once past the lobby you’ll come to the large swimming pool, and if you have accommodation on the ground floor then you’re in for a treat.

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Located on the tropical stretch of golden sands and turquoise waters off Koh Samui’s up market Bophut bay, Beach Bar offers wide variety of cocktails, champagne, wines, snacks, delicious home made ice cream and freshly blended fruit drink Come and join our happy hour as day turns to dusk before strolling down to the quaint cobblestone ‘Bophut Fisherman village’ Good things come in three, enjoy our Happy Hours daily at

01:30 - 02:30 pm 06:30 - 07:30 pm 09:30 - 10:30 pm

- buy one get one free -

You’ll find patio doors that open wide onto the pool. What could be better than getting out of bed and going straight for a swim, or indolently lying on your chaise longue that’s set in the water at the edge of the pool? There’s also a swim-up bar, ideal for a cooling drink when it gets hot. By the time you’ve spent a few days in the resort, you’ll certainly feel a closer bond with water than you might imagine – it becomes part of your life, or at least of your holiday.

The rooms are all beautifully designed and have every modern amenity you could think of. Impeccably cleaned and maintained, they have a very chic and welcoming vibe. They’re exactly what you need if you’re on holiday – entirely practical – yet totally comfortable; just the kind of place you’ll enjoy returning to if you’ve been out all day.

You don’t need to be staying at Prana to enjoy the excellent restaurant, situated on the resort’s rooftop, Zama. It’s open all day and serves everything from breakfast, lunch and dinner to a variety of snacks and drinks. You can access it by a corkscrew staircase or you can take Zama’s rather unusual lift. The lift cage has neither door nor ceiling; it’s a platform set flush into an air well that simply rises up to the top floor. When you arrive you step out onto a beautiful terrace, the setting for Zama. It’s a wonderfully romantic place, as you can look out over the sea and enjoy the stunning views.

HANSAR SAMUI

101/27-28 Moo 1, Bophut Koh Samui 84320 Thailand +66 77 245 511 | www.hansarsamui.com

Zama concentrates on what it calls fine Thai and modern European cuisines.

Both are incredibly tasty and use the freshest ingredients, skilfully combined to provide a gourmet experience. The blend of creativity and unpretentious fine dining has won over many a jaded foodie. There are some very tasty dishes on offer that are hard to find anywhere else on the island. For example, you could opt for the falafel wrap which includes tzatziki and feta and is accompanied by the delicious house fries. Or you could have the beetroot salmon gravlax, a medley of home-cured salmon, poached egg, asparagus and avocado. Needless to say, if you’re not in the mood for a full-scale meal, then just opt for a snack or something lighter. Try the select dessert menu for some highly mouth-watering treats. They’ve been creatively put together and are guaranteed to please. Highly recommended is the white chocolate cremeux with sour cherries and almond streusel. Zama also has all the wines and champagnes to perfectly match your lunch or dinner.

Knowledgeable and friendly staff are on hand, should you need help in making choices. You can also take advantage of a beautiful poolside café bar right by the sea. Enjoy happy hour delights along with free canapés from 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm, with a two for the price of one offer on selected beverages.

If you’ve enjoyed the food at the resort, then I’ll warrant you’ll enjoy their spa. Amezcua Spa is a world of total relaxation that, like the restaurant, is again set away from everything else and situated on a rooftop. With a winning blend of traditions from both East and West, it’s the ideal place to just let go and chill out while expert masseuses tend to you with a variety of treatments. It’s ideal, too, for couples. You can choose between aromatherapy, traditional and Royal Thai, scrubs and wraps as well as entire packages. Just, for example, try the excellent Amezcua Signature treatment, which includes refreshments, foot ritual and chakra balancing. It’s incredibly soothing for the back and spine and scalp. Marine products are used that will help you draw even more benefit from the two-hour procedure.

Prana is ideally located. It’s a few minutes’ drive from the airport, and a little further to Chaweng, and all its restaurants, bars and nightlife. Heading in the other direction, you’re a few minutes from Fisherman’s Village, Bophut, with its long street of international restaurants and outdoor shopping mall, The Wharf.

Prana is a landmark amongst Samui’s resorts, and with its beautiful architecture and excellent all-round service and attention to detail it’s going to be top of the list both as a place to stay and relax and as a venue for delicious dining.

Dimitri Waring

_______________________________________________________________ For reservations or further information telephone 0 7724 6362 www.pranaresorts.com 80 l www.samuiholiday.com

Let Waterline’s menu take you on a journey. Globally inspired, highlighting seafood, meat and poultry the menu is infused with Chef Roberto Belletti’s worldwide culinary passion. A story teller through his food, the menu will delight the palate while evoking words, thought and memories.

Come and visit Waterline to experience a journey on a plate.

Manathai Koh Samui Samui Ring Road Lamai Telephone 0 7745 8560-4 www.manathai.com Serving daily between 11:30am – 10:30pm

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MONEY, MONEY, MONEY How to manage your finances while holidaying on Samui.

No matter how savvy you are when it comes to finance, it’s easy to feel vulnerable when abroad. Nothing’s guaranteed to cause more concern than the thought of losing all your money. The worry’s logical after all: credit cards, travellers’ cheques, and cash – you name it; they can all be lost. That age old travel question persists into modern times: how can you keep your money secure while on the hoof?

This isn’t being paranoid; those fears are somewhat justified, especially if you’re far from home. You might know just what to do in the countries that neighbour your own, but if you’ve just flown half way across the world to a completely new destination, where you don’t speak a word of the language, you can expect to feel a little, well ... disorientated.

But it all depends where you are. Some countries are known to be risky, and visitors to them only feel relaxed when they step aboard the plane for their flight back home.

Thailand’s not like that at all. It turns out to be a very easy country to travel around in – one of the easiest in South-East Asia. Partly that’s because of the friendliness of its people, who will go out of their way to make you feel at home. Also, because tourism is so much a part of the nation’s economy, everything’s set up to facilitate travel – including the banking system. Crime rates are relatively low, too, but that doesn’t mean to say you should let your guard down.

So, how to manage your money once you’re here? First off, the fairly obvious points. Just because you’re on holiday, the sun is shining and you feel relaxed, this doesn’t mean to say you’re immune to problems. Don’t for example carry your wallet in your back pocket, or place your handbag in the front basket of a moped – it’s surprising just how many people do this. If you’re travelling on an overnight bus, never put your money in that albeit locked suitcase that you stow in the hold. Make use of the hotel safe – if it really is secure – or better still the in-room safe, if there is one. When you’re on holiday and dazzled by what you see around you, and you’re digesting a thousand new sights every day, it’s remarkably easy just to forget even the most basic common sense.

Bringing money into Thailand is very easy and you can bring in as much as you wish. Only a couple of decades ago, cash and travellers’ cheques were the financial mainstays. Now there are credit cards and debit cards and Thailand is certainly used to them. On Samui you’ll also find hundreds of ATM machines – and they’re certainly international when it comes to cards.

I asked the advice of a frequent traveller, a US citizen Pamela Faulkner, who was visiting Thailand after a two-week stopover in Vietnam, before heading home to Hawaii. “Inform your bank at home that you’re going abroad,” she said. “Otherwise the bank may receive notification that someone’s using your card in Thailand and it may get blocked automatically. ATM charges apply both here in Thailand at the Thai bank and also at home. Just be aware that those charges can really mount up if you’re using your card for bits and bobs. Better to take out larger amounts, if you want to keep the transaction charges down.”

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This makes good sense and very soon in the game, you’ll need to become familiar with Thai baht. It’s a very easy currency to use as the highest denomination note is only 1,000 baht. If you’re counting out more than 30 notes, it can become a bit tedious, however, and hopefully you won’t be buying a car with cash while you are here. Coins play only a small part in transactions as there is a very handy 20 baht note. The notes are easily distinguishable, except for the 50 and 500 baht note that are sometimes confused.

A tip from Pamela again: “Keep big denomination bills separate from the smaller ones in your wallet or purse. If you’re exchanging money, you’ll be given large bills, but ask for some smaller ones, too.” This will put you in good stead in small stores and taxis, where they may have no change.

If you need smaller notes, convenience stores such as Family Mart and 7-Eleven seem to have a bottomless well when it comes to small change, and are happy to change your 1,000 baht note even if you buy something ridiculously cheap. (They’ll also take your brass coins, when most banks won’t.)

Credit cards are accepted throughout Thailand, but be aware that some stores will charge an extra 3% to process them, or have a minimum spending limit. Needless to say, make sure your card is visible at all times; don’t let anyone go off with it, and should it get lost or be stolen, have the details ready so you can report it immediately.

Thai ATMs mostly work extremely well and never seem to run short of funds.

They’re also multi-lingual. Put in your card and what usually happens is that a menu of options pops up in not just Thai, but also Chinese, Japanese and English. Just select the one you’d like and don’t be put off by the fact that you’ll probably have to make a good few choices before you get to exactly the right option. Transactions come with a print-out. The part where people go wrong is the very last part. They’ve received their money and the transaction’s over, right? Well, yes, but note that in Thailand the money comes out before the card does. Not vice versa. So if you’re used to taking your card then receiving the money, be careful. Why? Because it’s easy to take just the money, think everything’s finished ... and walk away, forgetting the card. Meanwhile the machine is beeping away and soon, all too soon, your card will disappear back into it for safety’s sake. Contact the nearest bank for retrieval, but of course, you may have to wait. This can leave you feeling very financially naked.

If you’re changing currencies, all banks offer this service. The procedure is very straightforward, just approach the counter and make the swap.

The banks charge more or less the same rate, so there’s no need to shop around. If you’re looking for a bank in the evening or on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, then head for Big C supermarket on the ring-road in Chaweng where you’ll find a Siam Commercial Bank on the upper floor.

Alternatively go to Central Festival, also in Chaweng, where you’ll find an even wider range of banks, again on the upper floor.

The bank staff on Samui generally speak some English, and are usually able to help you. Bank paperwork is usually in Thai and English. You’ll also

Nora Buri SH Sep - Oct 2015

B a r g e & Te r r a c e

Fine Beachside Dining at The Rice Barge & Terrace Authentic Thai Cuisine Daily A La Carte and Thai Set Dinner find most bank staff very friendly and helpful. You can often open up a savings account and get an ATM card; it’s particularly useful as a way to keep track of your finances and keep your money secure.

For dire emergencies, you may have to have money sent to you.

Many people rely on Western Union for this and the money arrives on the same day. But you have to make sure that all the details are correct: the exact names of both parties, for example. And if your passport carries your first name as ‘Jane’ and Western Union has you marked as ‘Jayne’ then despite your surname being correct and your middle name, and everything else, they’re still going to ask you to have it resent. Often, this kind of situation can be avoided altogether if you watch your spending and don’t leave yourself penniless for your last few days – should an emergency occur you won’t have a chance of covering it. Similarly, make sure you’re insured medically, but even so be aware that many insurance policies won’t automatically pay hospitals; you need to check the fine print and be prepared to pay first, claim back later. It’s always good to have a second credit card, just in case.

If you use your common sense, think ahead and observe a few basic rules, then travelling around Thailand and keeping your money safe is generally easy. If you’re reasonably cautious then you’ll have a wonderful time here, just like thousands of other holidaymakers.

Dimitri Waring

No visit to Samui is complete until you have dined at The Rice Barge & Terrace

Rice Barge & Terrace Nora Buri's Signature Restaurant Chaweng North For Reservation Tel: 0 7791 3555 E-mail: ricebarge@noraburiresort.com www.noraburiresort.com

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SAMUI ESSENTIAL Lamai’s ‘The Spa’ is at the heart of the island – and so much more than just the sum of its parts!

This is a story about a resort on a beach. In fact, it has one of the nicest beach settings anywhere: lots of sun-bleached knotty wood, little shady nooks amongst the trees, and a sprinkling of those big chunky rocks you get on this part of the coast. The restaurant, cool and opensided, links through onto the sand. Running parallel and towards the sea is the pool, alongside which stretches a row of quaint wooden A-frame bungalows. As soon as you come into this resort, away from the main road, it’s tranquil. In fact, everything about it makes for a really nice place to go and spend some time.

I’ve read other stories about this resort, that set a grim sort of tone and launch right away into details about cleansing and fasting – you can almost picture their authors putting on a serious face – and then they’ll continue on to depict a kind of New Age hideaway where intensely serious people closet themselves to detox. But this is ‘The Spa’ in Lamai we’re talking about (The Spa Samui Beach Resort’ to give it its full name.) And when you pop in for some of the nicest food anywhere on the island, together with perhaps a smoothie or a glass of wine, you’d never in a million years realise that there are so many other things going on as well.

I’m only going to touch upon the fasting/cleansing/detox component (and later, towards the end) for which The Spa has established an international reputation, with people regularly coming here from all over the world. Because, for the majority of the people who live and work on Samui, The Spa is a place with broader (and deeper) tendrils. It’s a place to go to meet. It’s a perfect place to take the kids after school for some safe splashing while you put your feet up for a while and relax.

To say it’s ‘laid-back’ is to proclaim in clichés. But the atmosphere her is so calm, friendly and relaxing – genuinely easy-going – that it’s hard to find a better word!

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A look at the menu in their ‘Radiance’ beachside restaurant seems to sum this all up nicely. It’s admirably well-organised, with the contents of each of its sections being additionally coded into different categories; vegetarian, vegan, raw food, and so on, which is essential for those who, for whatever reason, are controlling what they eat. But the first page begins with the numerous breakfasts and, yes, you’ll see all the more down-to-earth offerings that most of us head for every morning! Then there’s a range of sandwiches and burgers, a whole bunch of pasta, and even several Tex-Mex choices.

And, naturally a big selection of salads, too. And also, one of the tastiest Thai menus you’ll find anywhere.

All the food is tip-top healthy, everything’s organically produced or free range, and the seafood is fresh every day. The same applies to the teas and coffees and yes, you did read it right, the assortment of wines and beers.

The only thing that’s absent is fizzy soft drinks; but they’ve never been high up the list for a healthy lifestyle anyway. You see, it’s all so easy-going. But of course, that applies to the people, too. There’s something in the air here, perfectly naturally, that no doubt goes with the territory, which makes for a pervasive sense of harmony.

“In the main, there are three broad categories of people who come here,” said Dr Anabelle Nichols, The Spa’s Executive Health Director. “There are those who come for two weeks to detox. Then there are others who come for several months and get into a wider range of activities as well - perhaps yoga or Reiki, astrology, hypnotherapy or weight-loss. And then there are the residents – and they will dip in and out of any or all of these things, as well as enjoying the restaurant and the overall atmosphere. We get people from all walks of life, some very wealthy and others just the opposite. But sticking with some of our treatments is a great social leveller; it’s impossible to tell who is who and who’s got what. There’s a sense of belonging and bonding – people instinctively support each other. And all of this just seems to add to the overall feeling here.”

“We get a large number of returning guests,” added Dr John Schreiner, the

resort’s resident Fasting Manager, “with many coming back every year. And they get almost possessive! We’ve become a sort of homefrom-home to some of them, and they’ll talk about ‘my spa’ with a strong sense of loyalty. For some, we’ve come to represent an island of calm, a thing to rely on in an uncertain world.”

But it’s not simply the fact that The Spa was the first spa on Samui, opening back in 1992 – although now there is also an offshoot, not far away up the mountain, ‘The Mountain Retreat’. It’s the fact that this spa has something that others don’t. It’s not only essentially knitted itself into the local community, but the frontage is right on the main ring-road in Lamai, making it immediately accessible to everyone, and with everyone being welcome, whether for a snack or a cleanse!

And yes, certainly, there are those cleansing programs. Dr Anabelle tells me that the ideal is three days preparation, seven days of fasting and colonics, then three more days to surface again. But there are shorter programs, too. And everything’s flexible, running through to a 28-day schedule, if it’s required. There are also other treatments, such as the ‘Liver Flush Fast’, which can be seen as a mild rejuvenation program or as a lead-in to the seven-day main ‘Clean Me Out’ program. Full details of all treatments and programs offered at The Spa can be found on their website.

The Spa Samui Beach Resort is at the edge of Lamai, not far from where the coast road heads up to the viewpoints and across to Chaweng.

Rob De Wet

______________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 0855. www.thesparesorts.net/samui

Fine Beachfront Dining serving Thai, Seafood & International Cuisine.

Chaweng Beach Road Chaweng North Tel: 0 7742 9400 Fax: 0 7742 9498 E-mail: reservation@norabeachresort.com www.norabeachresort.com

CROSS OVER TO A NEW WAY OF LIFE There are plenty of exciting reasons to buy into X2 Vibe Samui Nautilus Apartment Hotel.

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Just a couple of generations ago world travel was something that relatively few would or could undertake. Now it’s become both cheaper and more comfortable, and the mighty spin-off is that it’s now possible to live abroad for vastly extended periods of time. This is certainly true of Thailand, where there are thousands of foreign residents who live here all year round, and who rarely go back home. Then there are thousands more who come here to stay each year for periods that vary from a few days to a few months. Holidays and work can now easily overlap and co-exist; the hammock’s not just for whiling away an afternoon, now it’s your new office – a phone and a keyboard is perhaps all you require to drive your business forward.

In all of this, the old architectural adage still holds good: form follows function, and it equally applies to this new phase of living. Housing is constantly evolving to make it ever easier for people to live in versatile ways. It’s with this in mind that a new development has been designed to offer a staggering amount of flexibility, whether you’re on the move or if you’re a permanent or semi-permanent resident. (It’s also attracting pure investors looking for dependable returns, too, but we’ll come to that in a moment.)

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It’s called X2 Vibe Samui Nautilus, and is located in Choeng Mon, on the island’s north-east coast. It consists of one or two-bedroom apartments in a complex, which has been partnered with X2 Resorts (pronounced ‘cross to’). As such, it’s not just a collection of luxury apartments, but a fully-fledged resort too, offering everything a holidaymaker would need or wish for. X2 are experts in hotel management and offer a fresh perspective on holidaying. Tired of seeing similar-looking developments offering undifferentiated experiences, they want to redefine luxury in completely new terms, and allow their guests to ‘cross to’ a new dimension of luxury, rather than continue with the generic. X2 therefore operates small properties, ones with a human, unpretentious touch. Their idea is to deliver a unique experience.

The setting for X2 Vibe Samui Nautilus is a countryside slope on a hill facing out to sea, and has a private, exclusive feel to it. All the apartments offer a sea view, but naturally the higher you go, the more you can see, until it’s an entire vista that takes in the whole sweep from Koh Pha-Ngan, all of Choeng Mon and the outskirts of Chaweng.

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It’s a few minutes’ drive to Samui airport, just on the other side of the hill, and about the same time to Chaweng itself. The closest beach is a 400 metre beeline from the project, while it’s just 700 metres to Choeng Mon bay.

Investors are also welcome to buy into the development. You’re assured of good rates of return, as your property can be rented out in your absence. As it’s part of a hotel, your apartment would be kept in pristine condition and be under surveillance, affording you maximum peace of mind. Incidentally, under this scheme, you’d also be allowed to stay for 30 days a year in your property – and this without affecting your rental income.

There are a total of 40 luxury units, divided into two apartment blocks.

Everything’s been designed with the latest trends in mind. The materials used are of excellent quality and seamlessly meld together to present a beautiful finish. Local limestone has been used and you’ll find acacia and teak used in the apartments. The overall feel is one of light, with large windows leading onto balconies outside, always letting in the view. And with all mod cons, living here is a cinch.

You’ll also find a professionally-run restaurant, lobby, swimming pools, sun decks, roof gardens and a fitness room, giving the development a community feel. And you can also opt to buy apartments that come with their very own private swimming pools.

There are also four penthouse apartments, offering an additional luxury: each has its own private rooftop. So when you’re at home you can just climb up to your own eyrie above the development. It goes without saying that the views from up here are quite amazing.

The project is the idea of Péter Süle and Tomàs Szalai, who have been active in real estate in Hungary and Sweden, where they have built a range of apartment buildings. Since April 2015, when the development was put on the market, 25% of the properties have been sold. There are plenty of apartments left – for the moment, that is. Péter and Tomàs started building in November 2014, and state that they are not dependent on sales in order to complete the project. The apartments are offered leasehold for an initial period of 30 years, but purchasers are also given a lease renewal agreement of three further periods of 30 years. Full legal structures are in place.

Some ideas are so agile and catchy that they’re set to go mainstage and their time seems to have come – more and more people are seizing the opportunity to live abroad. X2 Vibe Samui Nautilus has been conceived with this in mind. And with the apartments being well priced and affordable, they represent superb value. For buyers and investors alike, they are an outstanding opportunity to own a stylish home in the tropics.

KHAO SOK

The Cliff and River Jungle Resort

Come and Relax with us at The Cliff and River Jungle Resort in magnificent Khao Sok. Enjoy the natural beauty and fresh air at this Scenic Riverside location.

Sightseeing Info - Canoeing - International Restaurant Luxury Recreation Facilities - Elephant Trekking

for more information and reservation please call 0 872 718 787, 0 812 721 221, 0 7791 3050 Fax. 0 7791 3099 www.thecliffandriver.com

P. CHAWENG GUEST HOUSE

100 ISLANDS RESORT

Located at the end of Soi Colibri, opposite Centara Grand Beach Resort.

Thai owned and managed, offering the beauty of Thai style architecture combined with European comforts.

The first boutique hotel in Suratthani.

Reasonably priced with friendly service and a family atmosphere. Relax by the pool or ease your tensions at the luxurious spa.

Dimitri Waring

_______________________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 824 274 888. www.nautilussamui.com or www.x2lobby.com

Recommended by Lonely Planet

Tel.: 0 7723 0684

Tel.: 0 7720 1150-8

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TOE TAPPING Musical maestros The Night Sessions just get better and better.

Vocalist Pete McDowell and guitar player Alex Rigley have been playing together for the last 15 years. They have a unique sound which is created by combining skilful, intricate guitar arrangements with dynamic, soulful and smooth vocals. Based on Samui for nearly four years, they have been performing exclusively as a duo, playing classic hits and popular tunes from all genres. Now they are developing their style and diversity, adding more members and creating a further blues and soul sound.

Pete and Alex are both originally from Hertfordshire in the UK, where they met on a college music course. Here their friendship began when they found a shared passion alongside a drive and dedication to work hard at musical perfection.

Pete was a talented sportsman, his heart set on becoming a professional football player.

After a serious injury, he became more involved in his other passion, music. With training from a teacher who recognised his potential, his voice quickly became his strongest asset. Pete eventually graduated with a university degree in music composition, but has never stopped learning. He is currently studying great vocalists such as Howlin Wolf, Aretha Franklin, Ray Lamontagne and Freddie Mercury.

Alex was initially drawn towards blues and soul music, but it was hearing Jimi Hendrix, when he was just 12 years old, that completely blew him away. He got his first guitar and started learning to play in private and with friends. He persevered, and developed a clear understanding of musical composition, alongside a deep desire and obsession to practice and to be the best. Further inspiration came later from funk and reggae, and more recently from the great solo and duo guitarists such as Tuck Andress. Nowadays, he still spends most of his time improving his guitar technique and overall musicianship, jamming with other musicians or listening to other acts.

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The Night Sessions has its origins in a hotel in Trang, southern Thailand.

Pete was working as an English teacher there, and spent a number of evenings watching the resident duo. He realised that, along with Alex, they could create a similar duo. And with the plethora of opportunities available in Thailand, they could finally achieve their dream of becoming full-time professional musicians. In 2012, he convinced Alex to come to Thailand. They rented a house in Phuket, and practiced every day until they felt they had perfected their act, their brand. Here the concept for simple but smartly dressed professionals, performing polished classic and very recognisable hits began. As beginners in the professional world, they didn’t know what to expect, so in order to be successful, they set themselves high standards for the musical arrangements from the very start. Pete dreamed up a name to fit their brand and The Night Sessions was born. After six months of working relentlessly on their performance, they successfully pursued an audition at Anantara on Samui. This meant they would be professional musicians for the first time in their lives.

For the first few years, The Night Sessions’ sound was based on Pete singing lead vocals and playing the drums, with Alex on guitar and provided backing vocals. They continually looked at ways to improve and decided to drop the drums and cut back on the backing vocals.

Hence began a long search for a percussionist to fit with their concept, complete their sound and push them beyond what they could achieve as a duo. They jammed with many, and finally they found Nattawat Benjasuwan, nicknamed BB. BB is Thai, originally from Chiang Mai. In his youth he played in marching bands, learning the rudiments of drumming and other rare skills

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amongst drummers on the island, such as reading and writing music. He soon progressed to the full drum kit and began playing in jazz, blues and rock bands around Bangkok and the north of Thailand. In 2014, he moved to Samui as demand for drummers of a high standard increased.

He soon began turning his attention towards other percussion instruments, and met Alex at a jam night in Chaweng. BB is a skilful, dedicated professional; his versatility meant he quickly became one of the most sought after session musicians on the island, an excellent choice for the third member of The Night Sessions. Now a percussion whiz kid, BB is able to deliver unique and complex sounds, using simple instruments such as a cajon and shaker. The cajon (pronounced as cahone), originated in Peru and is a wooden box which you sit on and play as a drum. With just two simple instruments, BB is able to create the sound of a full drum kit. Oh, and he can sing! So The Night Sessions now has a third voice to make a really big sound!

They also sometimes play as a quartet, when they add a bass player.

Alex is then lead guitarist and BB plays the full drum kit, treating the audience to the big band sound alongside Pete’s smooth, sophisticated vocals.

Whatever combination of The Night Sessions you are lucky enough to enjoy, the result is a sophisticated, eclectic blend of easy listening, soulful sounds. Whatever your age or nationality, you will recognise the tunes and the lyrics. The Night Sessions really get under your skin and into your head. They involve you, and you have no choice but to tap your toes to the rhythm, sing along, and rack your brain trying to guess the title and the artist. Their playlist ranges from soul classics like “My

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Girl” and “Stand By Me”, reggae from artists such as Bob Marley, rock classics from Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, legends such as Elvis and Queen, blues from Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf, rhythm and blues classics such as Little Walter’s “My Babe”, and “She Caught The Katy”, and even romantic ballads such as Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World”. Conversation is never dull with these guys around. They are a great choice to book for weddings or social events. The ‘feel good’ sounds encourage even the shyest guests to get up and dance the night away. The Night Sessions are very much attuned to their audience. They adapt their style and playlist to suit, and will always give a smooth, polished performance that you will remember long after the event.

Currently resident musicians at Banyan Tree, a five star resort in Lamai, they perform every Thursday and Saturday evening at the beachside Sands restaurant. If rain is expected, they may locate to The Edge restaurant which has both indoor and covered al fresco seating overlooking the entire resort and beach. An exceptional dining experience, alongside the sophisticated sounds of The Night Sessions. A match made in heaven, and truly an evening to remember.

Karan Ladd

______________________________________________________ For more information email The_Night_Sessions@hotmail.com.

Our Siam Ten Senses Treatment focuses on the ten main senses in human body.

Restoring body systems and improving the balance.

Green Resort Green Spa Detoxifying and Slimming Program Healthy Thai Restaurant Natural Wing Health Spa & Resort 11/5 Moo 6, Maenam, Koh Samui, Thailand Tel: 0 7760 2111, 0 7760 2112 Fax: 0 7744 7243 Mobile: 0 819 682 796 Email: info@naturalwing.com, www.naturalwing.com

CHANGING PLACES When it comes to expert advice, few know more about buying property in Thailand than author Rodney Waller.

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Back at home, you probably know exactly how to go about buying a house. Even so, it’s not something you’ll undertake lightly. You know that when it comes to real estate you need to be as knowledgeable as possible, and find trustworthy experts. But what if you’re in a foreign country? In a country where you can’t speak the language, don’t know the customs, and where you may have spent little time so far? The first task is to find out as much as you can about the purchasing process and hear what true experts are saying.

In the labyrinthine business of negotiating your way through Thai property laws, you may well have come across Rodney Waller’s book, ‘Buying Property in Thailand’. It’s very readable, and gives you an indepth guide to buying here. It stands out as the definitive guide in the industry, a sort of Lonely Planet for house hunters.

The person behind it, Rodney Waller, is an expert who has studied not just the property market in Thailand but the events that can impinge on it. His own development, The Ridge, took part in the 2014 - 2015 Thailand Property Awards and was declared the winner of the Best Residential Development (Samui). We asked him about buying property as a foreigner and also the forecast for 2016. What do we need to be aware of? And are things looking good on the property front?

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Firstly, he maintains, it’s impossible to talk generally about properties in Thailand, lumping all types together, if you are a foreign purchaser. Under Thai law, property can be freehold or leasehold, and consist of condominiums, villas and land. As a foreigner, you can buy and own properties with freehold condominium status. And you can buy and own buildings and structures, such as villas (as distinct from the land on which they’re built). You can also lease any building or land as a foreigner, for a maximum of 30 years, with one renewal allowed. But you cannot actually own the land. So far, so clear. “Things get complicated when foreigners enter the grey area of trying to buy land,” he says. “It’s legal for a Thai company to own land, and it’s technically legal for a foreigner to own shares in a Thai company. However, it’s quite against the spirit of Thai law for a foreigner to use a Thai company as a vehicle to buy land using nominee shareholders. Increasingly the government is checking into these companies to see where the funding is coming from. However, these grey areas allow foreign revenue to come into the country, while foreign property owners get to benefit from their purchases – even if the property they’ve acquired is indirectly owned through companies. This situation has been going on for years, and benefits the economy.”

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The primary underlying reasons for these conditions are that foreign ownership laws in Thailand are among the strictest in Asia, in contrast to Malaysia, for instance, which welcomes foreign property ownership through investment programmes. Second, laws relating to nominee shareholdings are still unclear; merely taking the step to clarifying the law would have a positive effect on the market.

With Thailand’s entry to ASEAN, Rodney says that there will be pressure to bring its property ownership rules more in line with member states. He foresees some relaxation of the laws. While freehold ownership of land might not be on the near horizon, longer lease terms or foreign-friendly zoning might become a reality, which would certainly lead to more confidence in the property market.

ASEAN, according to Rodney, will be responsible for much more, however. With Thailand’s entry, more demand for property will also come from Asia - Singapore, Malaysia, and especially China.

With China’s stock market falling, and the economy showing signs of problems ahead, the Chinese are manipulating their currency to make exports more competitive. So Chinese investors, understanding that their currency is being deliberately devalued, are looking outside for investment opportunities. Apart from the usual investment hotspots of London and Sydney, they will be picking investments in Asia, especially Thailand.

As we all know, it doesn’t take a large percentage of Chinese investors to move a market. Just a tiny fraction of China’s 1.4 billion people would transform demand and prices on a small island in Thailand.

“Statistically speaking, the velocity of property sales can often be predicted by tourist numbers,” says Rodney. “Before investing, purchasers often visit several times before deciding to invest. Just looking at the increase in visitors from mainland China should indicate a growth in 104 l www.samuiholiday.com

demand from Chinese buyers now and into the future. Enough to create a boom in property prices? Possibly.”

Rodney is very positive about the future, especially right here on Samui. “Even if it’s quite hard to purchase in Thailand,” he says, “out of all of South-East Asia, investors prefer Thailand because of the welcoming nature of the Thai people, and all the other plus points, such as the weather, infrastructure, the transport hubs, and so on. And when they think of coming to Thailand, Samui is top of the list as a boutique destination.” He explains it’s because the island has maintained its status and beauty. “Phuket is a mature market, Pattaya is generally perceived as a lower end destination, but Samui has retained its niche as a high-end resort destination.

It offers a great climate, with year-round sunny days and a very short monsoon season, and is still very green. Samui has a lot of room to grow.”

As for other trends, buyers in the market now are focussed on value. Ten years ago, a rising market lifted all boats. Now, buyers are selectively investing in stylish architecture, quality projects and quality construction, especially those that offer good value.

Key indicators, Rodney says in conclusion, have changed. “To make sense of the market today, it’s necessary to understand international market events and recognise their impact on the Thai market. Samui may be an island, but it’s very much influenced by what’s going on in the greater world beyond.”

Dimitri Waring

______________________________________________________ For further information, telephone Rodney on 0 856 920 550.

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Tel. 077 448 994

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NOT IN THE

HOT SEAT Don’t want to drive, or ride a motorcycle?

There are other ways of getting around Samui.

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From the moment your plane touches down on Samui, you’ll be faced with choices: what to eat, drink, which beach to go to, what to do at night, and so on. A good many of these choices will involve transport. And Samui, which looks so small on a map, turns out to be a lot bigger when you’re actually here. Not everyone wants to hire a car or motorbike to travel around, given the dangers of driving here – the island has appalling accident statistics. You may think your options are limited, but they’re more wide-ranging than at first glance. And they’re worth investigating as each of them comes with benefits of its own. They can variously help you save money, time and cut down on stress. Here’s the lowdown on ways to get around without actually being in the hot seat.

Maroon and yellow taxis seem to be everywhere and will give you a toot of their horn as they’re about to pass you. The drivers will take you anywhere as long as the road isn’t too much of a dirt track. Some locations on Samui look like they’re accessible, but the roads still haven’t been completed, and unless you’re a rally driver with a seriously good 4-wheel drive vehicle, it’s best not to venture on them. Taxi drivers may refuse if the road looks a bit rough.

Taxis are a lot more expensive than they are in Bangkok, and before you

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get in one, you should ask the driver for the price. He or she will expect this. You can then accept, decline or bargain. Whatever you do should be done light-heartedly. Once you’ve accepted the price, you cannot bargain further. Check also that the price quoted covers all your party and isn’t a per-person figure. Taxi drivers are supposed to use their meter, but it still remains a rarity.

Taxis can be few and far between at night if you are out in one of the smaller towns, and scarce if you are in Chaweng or Lamai in the small hours. You can also ask your taxi driver to wait for you – again, work out a price – and he or she may be amenable to being hired for a whole day if you want to go sightseeing around the island. The drivers are, of course, a mine of information about the island and if you need something, they will know where to go. If travelling to a house or villa, you’ll need to show them where to go on a map; postal addresses are meaningless unless you’re a post office employee.

Much like regular taxis, motorbike taxis ply the roads but charge prices that reflect that you’re hiring just two wheels and not four. Again, make sure you ask the price before you get on. If you’re not used to being a passenger on a scooter, be aware that you’ll quite naturally feel nervous – no matter how

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good the driver might be. On the back of any motorbike, there’s no sense of being in control. If you’re able to relax, you might even find it fun.

Definitely more sedate than going by motorbike taxi, the songtaew is an institution in itself. It’s pronounced ‘songtail’, and sounds as if it might be named after some bird or fish, but the word translates as ‘two benches’ – which sums up the design of the vehicle. It’s simply a truck with a bench running down its length on each side and a canopy overhead. The golden rule is to negotiate the price before you get in, and to be aware that unlike a taxi, it’s per person.

Typically it’ll cost you about 50 baht to make an eight kilometre journey. You can hail a songtaew exactly as you would a taxi. Once it stops, the driver will wind down the window and you can ask if he’s going your way. Sometimes the songtaew will turn off where you don’t expect it to, so it’s always worth asking. Smaller roads aren’t covered so well, and in some cases not at all, but you’ll find there’s usually one every 15 to 20 minutes on the ring-road. If you’re arriving on Samui by sea, you’ll find songtaews waiting at the ferry ports. You’re sure to find one that will take you to the area of your choice and will drop you off at your hotel if it’s on their route.

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After about 4:00 pm, songtaew prices rocket, with drivers justifying the hike by saying they’re now hiring their vehicles out directly to you. On the plus side, they’ll now tend to take you directly where you want to go.

Definitely a more luxurious way to travel, hotel limousines are sleek and chic, and their price is normally far more than a taxi would be.

Probably it’s not worth bargaining with the hotel over the price, but they won’t mind if you do. Villas can also hire out limousines for you and you may be able to work the price down somewhat. It all depends on the individual villa. Naturally a limousine is a highly comfortable way to travel and the service will be impeccably polite, too. Not all hotels and villas have limousines, of course, and you may find their transport a little rough and ready at times. Some out of the way resorts and hotels especially those in the hills where the roads have alarming slopes may use 4-wheel drive jeeps to get up and down. They won’t even resemble limousines; rather they’ll look like they’ve just crossed the Sahara. But they’ll do the job.

Airport limousines are the way to go if you want to arrive at your resort or villa in style. You can book them at the arrivals hall at the airport, while you’ll find taxis waiting just outside. By the way, all hotels can arrange for you to be picked up at the airport; the driver will be waiting for you bearing a sign with your name. At the arrivals hall, you also have the cheaper option of going by minibus. The driver will take you to your destination, as long as it’s close to the ring-road – they’re not amenable to going more than a few hundred metres up dirt tracks and minor roads.

Many resort restaurants also offer free round trips, picking you up at your hotel and seamlessly whisking you to dinner before taking you home again. This service will certainly add not just to your comfort but it’s also

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a lot better for your stress levels – and of course you can have a drink too, without worrying about the possible consequences. Some spas also offer the same service, and since spas are all about relaxation, having a lift there will enable you to feel laid-back even before your session starts.

If you decide to go on a boat trip, a pick-up service is part of the deal, and after the excursion you’ll be dropped off again. This enables you to get to the right port on time. The disadvantage is that it’ll be a van that’s picking you up – along with maybe a dozen other passengers, all from different areas. This can take up quite a lot of time.

Last but not least, no article on Samui can be complete without mentioning golf carts, the small, nippy buggies that the island has come to depend upon so much. No, you won’t see them on the roads, but if you’re staying at a resort that’s particularly hilly or spread out, then you’ll probably be chauffeured around the premises by buggy, as they’re universally called. Buggies are free, of course, and will save you an enormous amount of time, not to say energy.

As you can see, alternatives to driving a car or riding a motorbike exist on Samui. And more people than you might think avail themselves of these other forms of getting around. They’re definitely less stressful and are a lot safer, especially if we’re talking about motorbikes. They can also be fun, and if you plan wisely, then they won’t cost you too much; they can easily work out far cheaper than hiring a car.

Dimitri Waring

The Beauty Secret Perfection is Closer Than You Think

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NATURAL HIDEAWAY

Natural Wing is not only a tip-top spa it has lots of other hidden attractions, too!

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Samui’s ring-road goes through some busy places. It crawls across the edge of Chaweng. It picks up pace as it pushes on to Bophut. It chugs around and into Maenam, where it narrows right down and gets slow.

And then it widens again. And by the time it’s hooked around to Ban Tai, it’s racing. It’s broad, it’s fast, and it’s wide enough for six cars. The best thing about this road is that it gets to see most all of Samui. The worst thing? Well, if you’re on it, you’ll be going too fast to see much at all.

Take that stretch in Ban Tai. Once you’ve cleared Maenam, the outlook shifts. Now there are little Thai shops along the edge. Honda and hardware sit side-by-side with rows of TV fixers, roof tiles out on show, securicams and shops. And then there’s a whole heap of green. Gated drives hint at beach villas within. Huge trees hang high over walls. A resort on the road. Villas sales and for rent. And then, without even knowing, you’ve shot right past Natural Wing!

But it’s easy to find. Head out of Maenam towards Nathon. Go around the sharp 90-degree bend with the arch of Wat Napralam/Lomprayah Ferry on the right – you are now in Ban Tai. And exactly three kilometres after that 90-degree bend, you’ll see a small modern resort on the righthand side, The Sea. At this point, slow down: Natural Wing is just a little further, on the left.

Natural Wing is a resort and spa. It’s been here for quite a while, one of the longest running around. It melds holistic trends with cleansing and detox. You can drop in for an hour or live there for a month. Choose to hideaway inside or stay across on the beach. It’s where the Samui Spa Association began. It has won many awards. And it’s amazingly pretty.

But from the road outside, you’d never know.

Coming inside from the road, all dimensions seem to change – there’s

a sudden shift in the volumes and distance. Just a few paces and the road seems far away. There a sense of added height, too, almost as if you’ve stepped into a clearing in a dense rainforest, with towering trees on either side and the sky far above. It’s darker and cooler here, instantly quieter, with a bubbling pond that vines and aerial roots reach down towards, drawing a gauzy curtain all around. And then, in the hush, you’ll notice the iconic hand-hewn teak chairs and tables. And then the little wooden house beyond, with the sign ‘reception’ in the window.

It’ll take a few moments to orientate yourself, complicated by the added aspect that Natural Wing is both far wider than its frontage suggests, and also runs back a long way from the main road outside. But after you’ve got your bearings, you’ll see that, running away from the small pool, are the seven delightful villas, each of them densely shrouded in green. And, to the right of the reception, the path runs around to where you’ll find the elegant and comfortable treatment rooms. Over to the left is the spa’s in-house restaurant; an essay in airy openness, framed with giant knotty timbers. And just next to that, edging onto the road, is their all-day restaurant, open to the public – and more of this in a moment!

The detox program here is comprehensive and thorough and, whichever of the options you choose, it begins with careful screening and a blood test. The results are analysed by a doctor, and then Khun Wanvanat Kongcharoen (Khun Natty) the assistant managing director of the spa, who personally oversees each programme, will discuss the results with you and give you appropriate advice. Such are the standards of care here that Natural Wing has been certified by the Thai Ministry of Public Health, and is additionally the recipient of Thailand’s ‘The Gold Spa Award. The owner and Director is Khun Wanwalee, who is not only a consultant of the Samui Spa Association, but also Vice-President of the Thai Spa Federation and Vice-President of the Green Island Federation.

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Whereas the detox and slimming programs need you to be resident, the many options at the spa can be selected at leisure, running from a 30-minute session to program-combos that last most of the day. As well as the array of massages, scrubs, wraps, facials, reflexology and herbal steam, of particular note is the super ‘Ten Senses Treatment’.

This is a full two-and a-half-hour session of massage and hot-press with oil, designed to restore the balance of essential centres, which include sight, recognition, the joints, muscles and the nervous, circulatory and excretory systems.

And so to that ‘cabin in the clearing’, the cosy and tranquil ‘Natural Cafe’ restaurant. This is the all-day eatery that edges the main road, open until 10:00 pm, and with a tranquil inner area but with rustic tables and chairs outside set amidst the tropical vegetation. And here’s a welcome surprise for you. Yes, there’s the expected health drinks and smoothies, mocktails, plus salads and vegetarian fare. All the food is nourishing and organic, with quite a few of the green items being grown in-house.

But how many places do you know where you can get, say, fish ’n’ chips in a lush rainforest setting? Or calamari (or prawns) in garlic with fries? How about one of the chef’s specials; char-grilled pork with herbs in a wrap? Several sorts of all-day breakfasts? Fried ice-cream or crispy banana fritter with honey? Real espresso. Plus a full menu of Thai dishes.

And a wide range of real cocktails – just 160 baht a time? Nothing is expensive here, with the average cost of a dish being between 200 and 250 baht.

Forget the high-street neon, beeping taxis and hassle. There’s a 90% chance you’ll be coming this way some time during your stay, anyway.

Don’t just zip past it on the road – it’s too good for that. Slow down and look for this natural hideaway – at Natural Wing Health Spa & Resort!

Rob De Wet

____________________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7760 2111–2. www.naturalwing.com 116 l www.samuiholiday.com

S A M U I

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www.samui-ultimate-samui.com

KOH SAMUI www.samuiholiday.com l 117

RESPLENDENT ROCKY’S Rocky’s Boutique Resort Koh Samui is making things even better for guests at The Dining Room and Bistro Modern.

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www.samuiholiday.com l 119

There’s an old Zen-like saying: ‘When you get to the summit, keep on going.’ What!? It’s hard enough to get to the top, and surely when you get there, isn’t it time to relax a bit? Or even a lot? Of course. But if you want to really stand out from the competition, then you have to go even further, impossible as that may seem. Resorts and restaurants on Samui have certainly taken this on board and always somehow manage to continually improve.

Stefano works and thinks with the same unvarying attention to both the tiny specifics of food – how, for example, white snapper should be sliced – and the general, all-encompassing whole – does the restaurant’s architecture need improving? How could seating be better? And so on.

This is why he’s a master chef.

When you walk round Rocky’s Boutique Resort, you’ll be hard-pressed to know what, if anything, could possibly be improved. The resort has gone through numerous overhauls and is utterly different from its beginnings at the turn of this century. Every square centimetre looks in pristine condition.

But improvement is in the pipeline. “We want to take the property to the next level,” says Stefano Leone, Rocky’s chef, “and that means the general approach, the service and the restaurants all have to be in tiptop form and more.” It’s not just a question of taking on any shortcomings that can be found, but also looking at what’s already great and then doing even better.

Guest satisfaction is top of his list, and before any food is even served or for that matter, even prepared, he has to think of the ambience that the diners will be experiencing. He says it himself, a kind of motto that he sticks by, “To entertain guests is to make yourself responsible for their happiness so long as they’re beneath your roof.” You can’t expect a guest to know whether their fish has been sliced according to 5-star principles, but Stefano himself knows and has trained all his staff to know. In addition, all the staff are trained to be helpful to guests. They’ll offer a warm welcome and are on hand just when you need them.

They won’t hover, but they’ll anticipate your needs. The food has to be dependable, always excellent, with dishes that are well-presented and mouth-watering.

Chef Stefano is able to see the big picture as well as all the tiny bits that go to make it up. It’s a little like looking at a finished jigsaw puzzle and seeing exactly what’s depicted as well as knowing how all the pieces dovetail together. Stefano operates at a level of dining which would mean a white-knuckle ride for most of us. He knows that some small, apparently insignificant detail could bring the culinary house down. And everyone in his team from dishwasher to cook also has to be aware of the same pitfalls. Watch Stefano in his kitchen at The Dining Room and you just know that his attention is 100% on the food and cooking. And yet when someone casually drops in wearing the wrong footwear, he’s suddenly pointing it out. He’s not being obsessive; it’s just a principle of hygiene. And then you really begin to notice how clean the kitchen is, even during operations – the word immaculate springs to mind.

Dining at Rocky’s is therefore very much influenced by the chef himself.

Stefano was chosen as management knew he’d be more than capable of ensuring brilliant results. Like many a true professional, he makes everything seem very easy, or at least laid-back. He has a quick wit, surely as honed as his knives, and you can see he likes to laugh.

He loves to be surrounded, he says, by good food and wine, and to generally celebrate life. He grew up in Italy and is well-travelled, meaning that his journeys and what he’s seen and eaten on them have percolated down into inspiration for the food that he makes. He’s fluent in English, French and Italian, and cooks at Michelin-star level. His basic approach is one of farm to table: optimum products coming from optimum places and delivered in optimum times – think utterly fresh and tasty.

120 l www.samuiholiday.com

www.samuiholiday.com l 121

Rocky’s is known across the island and further afield for the excellence of its food. You might think that the mere presence of a master chef might lead dining here to being, well, a bit pretentious. But this just isn’t the case at all. There are two separate restaurants. Both are indeed elegant, but without any ostentation. In other words you can relax in them. You’re at home, as Stefano says, so take your time, linger. Your job is to enjoy the food and the atmosphere, after all.

Let’s start with the first of the restaurants that you come to as you walk down the slopes that Rocky’s is set on. Bistro Modern has an unusual approach; you cross a stone bridge that funnels a stream through the property, and which brings you to a beautiful swimming pool. (And yes, if you eat here, you’re welcome to use it to your heart’s content.) By its side, you’ll see the restaurant, a large, welcoming open-air pavilion offering simple luxury and an indisputably good menu. It’s open every day both for lunch and dinner, making this a prime place to stop off if you’re touring the island. You can eat by the pool or inside the Thai-inspired dining room. The menu’s in the process of being upgraded, and now features the best of modern Tuscan and Provencal-influenced cuisine as well as Thai dishes. The Italian oven and stove produces mouth-watering pizzas, and there’s a variety of fish and meats that will satisfy even the choosiest of diners. You can also enjoy a range of sandwiches such as roast Black Angus, or a tuna niçoise tartine.

For something more substantial, opt for Trota in Crosta di Noci, or walnutincrusted rainbow trout in fresh tarragon with a pinot beurre blanc and sautéed fresh spinach. Bistro Modern is incidentally very child friendly, and if you are bringing your children, you can be sure that they will be very well looked after.

Further down, and right by the sea, you’ll find The Dining Room, set on a wonderfully private beach where it commands great views of the surrounding area. It’s incredibly beautiful here at night fall, and diners often start off their evening at the poolside bar next to the restaurant. You can eat 122 l www.samuiholiday.com

KAYAKING Explore the caves and beaches of the Angthong National Marine Park Offices located behind Bondi Pub in central Chaweng and on Chaweng Lake Road opposite Lake View For reservations please call 0 7730 0615 or 0 878 866 097

www.bluestars.info

in the very tasteful interior – it’s a sala open to cooling breezes and has the same sea views – or right on the rocks themselves at candlelit tables (you’ll definitely need to reserve these in advance, by the way). The Dining Room is open every evening for dinner, and offers classical French cuisine with a modern twist, using state of the art techniques and equipment such as sous-vide and thermo mix, and using exceptionally good ingredients. You can enjoy very varied dishes, such as a roasted breast of quail stuffed with foie gras, crispy quail legs, potato purée, artichoke, shoyu and quail jus, or a beef Rossini, with seared Alan François foie gras and fillet mignon, wilted baby spinach, tarragon glazed carrots and Madeira sauce.

Incidentally, above the restaurant there’s also a beautifully-appointed meeting room, decorated in Thai style with antiques and paintings, ideal for meetings of any kind, including social gatherings from birthday parties to weddings. Rocky’s is a noted spot for weddings.

With a romantic cove and wonderful food and drink, it’s ideal for any reception. Many couples have come here to tie the knot and celebrate with friends and family.

The Dining Room and Bistro Modern both showcase what a great chef can do, given free rein. These two quite different restaurants both offer the best in quality dining and are sure to please. But if you’re lucky enough to live on the island, each time you come back, you’ll notice how they have improved – and simply keep on doing so.

Dimitri Waring

______________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 3020. www.rockyresort.com

124 l www.samuiholiday.com

A SWIM IN

THE PARK

Don’t miss out on The Angthong National Marine Park, one of the treasures of Thailand.

www.samuiholiday.com l 125

One of Samui’s biggest attractions turns out not to be on Samui at all.

It’s a group of off-shore islands which attract thousands of visitors every year. The Angthong National Marine Park is visible from the west coast of Samui, and is an incredibly beautiful archipelago of some 40 islands.

They’re easily accessible – under an hour’s speedboat ride – and if you don’t have time to see anything else at all while you’re on holiday, a visit here should be top priority. Even if you’re a seasoned traveller, this is a day out that’s bound to impress.

When you think of desert islands, you may well be thinking of a classical atoll. You know the type from computer screensavers: a minuscule strip of beach with precisely three palm trees sprouting improbably from the sand. Well, these islands aren’t like that at all. They’re better. They’ve got more substance and a quirkiness about them that’s hard to define.

For a start, there are the islands’ strange shapes to consider. On a map they don’t look remarkable – just an archipelago like any other, really – but see them up close, at sea-level, and they appear very strange.

Some have quite smooth shapes, while others are so jagged that they appear to be at times barely natural. Their contorted features are due to the geology here being karst; limestone that’s been eaten away by rain and the sea, leaving them with fantastic shapes and at times outlines that seem to have been cut by a mad person with a razor. For all this, they remain extraordinarily beautiful.

126 l www.samuiholiday.com

If you’re used to the palm-dominated vegetation of Samui, then the park is very different. Limestone is always thirsty for water and laps it up like a sponge, making the ground very dry. For plants it’s a hard-scrabble existence, and though they’re very green, the island’s composition means that only quite sturdy vegetation thrives here on the thin soils. This in turn makes it difficult for animals, and the ones you see here are small. There are lots of frogs here, as well as lizards, snakes and iguanas. You’ll find otters, langurs, crab-eating monkeys, hogs and bats on the islands, while in the seas surrounding them, there are larger creatures to be seen: you may be lucky enough to spot a whale, and it’s quite common to see dolphins sporting here.

The islands are conveniently close together, so that once you’re there, you can easily hop between them, they’re very diverse and hold many surprises. The only people who really know them well are the park rangers, who are tasked to look after them, and the sea gypsies who have built a small community on one of them.

Even people who have been born and bred on Samui can’t say they know them well. Although tantalizingly close, these islands know how to guard their many secrets.

On Koh Mae Koh, you’ll find not only a beautiful beach but the unexpected: an inland lake, usually known as the Emerald Lake. Use the wooden steps to climb to the top of the island and then it’s a short walk to the edge of the cliffs, where you can gaze down on the chartreuse-green of the waters below you. It’s connected by a subterranean passage to the sea beyond, so it’s a salt-water lake. There are also great views of the other islands from the vantage point.

the headquarters, as well as have a snack or meal in the restaurant here.

If you want to stay overnight in the islands, it’s certainly no problem and you’ll be very welcome at the park headquarters, located on Koh Wua Talap. You’ll find good standard bungalows and if these are full you can rent a tent, or bring your own. You can reserve accommodation at the park website. Be aware though that it’s definitely not 5-star; there’s only cold running water and an electricity generator that shuts down at 11:00 pm.

Getting to the islands is a cinch as there are so many boats going there.

Simply enquire at any travel agency. Usually days out are organized around swimming at several spots, and there’s usually a visit to the Emerald Lake and the park’s headquarters. There’s a choice between slow boats that take up to 50 people, or speed boats. Avoid going by speed boat if you have a bad back, but in any case, be careful; the drop from the crests of the waves back to the sea can be literally spine-jarring. Sit at the rear of the boat for the most stability. If you’re visiting with a group of people, then the best alternative is to charter your own vessel.

Whether you’re lodging in a tent or in one of the bungalows, costs works out incredibly cheap, especially given the exotic nature of the surroundings.

You can also, by the way, obtain a lot more information about the park at

128 l www.samuiholiday.com

You’ll also find a short walk on the island that takes you up to a viewpoint, where most of the panoramic photos of the park are taken. It’s a very rewarding hike, although is quite difficult, with steep slopes and jungle on the way. You’ll need to be reasonably fit to walk it as well as have reliable footwear. The summit is almost a half kilometre above sea-level.

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for 7, 14, 21 or 28 days Blue Stars offers some very comprehensive packages at good prices, and are tried-and-trusted operators, who have been taking people to the islands for years.

It might sound as if the sheer popularity of the park means that it’s as crowded as Disneyworld, but this isn’t the case; because there are so many islands, there’s never really that over-busy feel to a day out here. It’s only the park headquarters and the Emerald Lake that get crowded at peak times.

A visit to the park is very high up on the list of things to do if you’re visiting not just Samui, but Thailand itself. For an unbeatable day out, this one scores points across the board, and many holidaymakers make a point of returning to the park each time they visit.

Dimitri Waring

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130 l www.samuiholiday.com

CHEF AT THE HELM Nora Buri Resort & Spa has a brilliant chef to navigate the culinary waters of Samui.

If someone asked you to imagine a treasure ship, how would it look? In all probability it’d have three masts, rigging and plenty of sails. In short, it’ll look like it’s stepped out of a history book. There seems to be no other kind. But try this now: imagine the ship isn’t a typical schooner but instead it’s a barge. Yes, a barge. And filled with treasure. Can such a thing exist? It can and does. It turns out that Samui has its own treasure barge, though the treasure is something quite untypical, not coins or gold or silver. This time it’s culinary treasures – dozens and dozens of authentic Thai recipes that have been handed down through the generations The Barge is a very large building that has been created to look a little like one of the old-style rice barges that were once a common sight on the waterways of Bangkok. From the coast you can see what looks like a ship heading from the land out to sea. Once inside the building, however, you’ll find that it’s technically home to two restaurants, The Barge (international menu) and Rice Barge & Terrace (Thai menu). They’re collectively known as The Barge and are located at Nora Buri Resort & Spa, just a few minutes’ drive north of Chaweng. To get there take the beach road for three kilometres and keep on going (don’t take the turnoff to the airport) and you’ll soon see the signposts for the resort. Note that the restaurant can’t be seen from the road as it’s set on the slopes beneath.

The restaurant has made a name for itself since its earliest days; the Nora Group, who run it, make sure that it’s staffed by some of the region’s most dedicated chefs. The group has a total of four resorts on Samui, and each is highly successful, providing all-round excellent service. You might think that it’s a national chain but it turns out that this is a local group with international interests at heart. The Barge has already won awards for its unique architectural design.

With its contemporary architecture yet traditional Thai cuisine, it scores points for both the setting and the high quality of the food.

www.samuiholiday.com l 131

Khun Surachai Katanyutanont, who is a maestro of a chef, is in charge of providing the extraordinarily mouth-watering dishes at The Barge.

He’s selected Thai dishes that come from all over the country. Each is authentic to its roots and the presentation is excellent. The food tastes every bit as good as it looks. Khun Surachai wants each diner to be completely satisfied with their meal.

He is extremely well-trained in cooking; he started when he was young, almost 40 years ago, under the guidance of his mother. He soon found he had a talent for making great-tasting dishes. He realized that cooking was something he really wanted to pursue as a career, and when he left school, he approached hotels and was eventually given a start, as a simple kitchen helper. He learned all he could and was soon applying for jobs that required cooking. His lucky break came when the Royal Orchid Sheraton group asked him to come aboard. He did so and when he left it was as sous-chef. From there he gained ever more expertise until he was eventually snapped up by a five-star Phuket resort; they wanted him to be executive chef. He’d come a long way since his first days in the kitchen and now he could afford to really indulge his passion for cooking. After Phuket, he came to Samui, again to be executive chef at a five-star resort, where he spent some years. With the opening of The Barge in 2009, he became executive chef here, looking after their full chain of restaurants. As such he’s also able to cook westernstyle food, and it turns out there’s little that he doesn’t know how to do.

He’s certainly skilled at spoiling diners with both Thai and international favourites.

Some of Khun Surachai’s recommendations are the crab curry and noodles with vegetables, a truly delicious seafood feast which is impeccably served along with a generous amount of vegetables. Then there’s the massaman curry, true to its southern Thai origins, which abounds in delicate tastes. There’s a full range of Thai treats, an entire

Welcome to Sa-ard’s Watersports Center on Koh Samui. Where everyday can be an aquatic adventure – above and below the crystal clear blue waters of the Gulf of Thailand.

Join us and discover what r eally makes these islands so very special.

spectrum of the nation’s food, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

If you’re not sure what to have, then you might want to opt for a Thai set meal. There are two of these and each comprises seven courses. Tastes are exquisite and if you’ve never really eaten Thai food before, then you won’t go wrong with either of these culinary journeys. If you’re in a particularly romantic mood, then you’ll enjoy the Candlelight Seafood Set. After appetizers and soup, you’ll be given a beautifully-presented basket of tiger prawns, salmon, squid, mussels and blue crab. It’s accompanied by side dishes and ends with dessert.

In addition to the wonderful food and drink, there’s plenty of atmosphere at the restaurant with a professional musician playing gentle tunes on a wood xylophone, or ‘kim’, one of Thailand’s favourite traditional instruments. The service, incidentally, is as seamless as the food itself, with friendly staff making your meal a wonderful occasion.

Our brand new catamaran Fountaine Pajot Belize 43 “Kindred Spirit” can comfortably take 15 people on a day trip and sleep 6 people on over-night excursions.

The starboard hull has a double stateroom with ensuite bathroom and living area. There are also two double state rooms in the port hull with a shared bathroom. You’ll also find a large galley and a living area with CD/DVD player and a 28 inch colour TV. All the cabins and living areas are fully air-conditioned.

Sa-ard’s Watersports Center also offers Private Speedboat tours to the beaches and snorkeling destinations of the surrounding islands.

Manager and Skipper is Sa-ard, one of Thailand’s most celebrated windsurfers. He took part in the Olympics 1984 in Los Angeles and 1992 in Barcelona, was a long time member of the Thai National Windsurfing Team, has been Asian Champion and 5 times Gold Medal Winner in the South East Asian Games. You simply could not be in better hands!

One of the best things about eating here comes right at the end of any meal: the bill. You might be expecting that it’s going to sting; after all, you’ll have dined in style and in unusual settings that required an extraordinary amount of architectural know-how.

Yet when the bill comes, you’ll immediately see that it’s very reasonable and that the prices for each item are in keeping with a much humbler restaurant.

Dimitri Waring

_______________________________________________________ For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7791 3555. www.noraburiresort.com

www.samuiholiday.com l 133

MASTERMIND Air Event & Entertainment brings dance to the island and helps you get super fit.

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www.samuiholiday.com l 135

There’s a line in that must-see movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show that goes: “Don’t dream it, be it.” The line is in a song and the words are repeated over and over again like a mantra. Why are they so important? Aren’t they there just to camp things up? Not at all - it’s solid wisdom and one of the worst-kept secrets of the self-development industry: the urge to be your dream rather than just wish for it is crucial.

It basically separates those who achieve their dreams from those who don’t.

It’s also the official slogan that newly-founded Air Event & Entertainment lives by. These are folks who are deeply passionate about what they do. They’re into fitness, dance and choreography, and are certainly bringing something different to the island. It was founded by professional dancer and fitness trainer, Kathi Master. She’s based in Choeng Mon in a property that is dedicated to both fitness and dance, where some very dedicated sessions take place, albeit in a fun atmosphere.

Kathi’s own story is a tad unusual but is all part of this. At the age of just four, her father saw how much she liked dancing, and the potential she had. Most dads would be content to check out local schools for possibilities, but he found there wasn’t so much going on in Izmir, Turkey, where Kathi was growing up. So instead he sent her to ballet academy in Samara, Russia, to a school where she could reach that potential which is precisely what she did. She learned dancing and choreography and when she was 16, she returned to Turkey. Within a year she had set up a dance team in Antalya. There was high demand from hotels and resorts for high-quality dancing to entertain holidaymakers. The team Kathi created was a success, and soon she started working for 136 l www.samuiholiday.com

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If you are looking for something wonderful and different, Zazen restaurant is the place for you to discover. Their master chef emphasises the use of healthy organic ingredients while infusing dining participation. Zazen is truly one of the most romantic and serene beachside dining restaurants on the island. Every night this charming establishment lights up over 100 candles to set the ambiance for you to experience.

Tel: 077 425 085, 081 737 8771 Email: fb@samuizazen.com Website: www.samuizazen.com

Samui Every conceivable Indian dish is on offer here – and they are all delicious! Conveniently located in Central Chaweng, the restaurant is open from 11:00 am – 11:30 pm.

For further information, reservations, and take-away orders (free delivery in Chaweng area), telephone 0 7741 3315.

Asia Travel international hoteliers, Robinson. The brand’s well-known for putting on entertainments of all kinds, and under their aegis, Kathi further improved her skills as well as studying hotel management with them. She ended up being event manager in charge of entertainments in several hotels; a non-stop job that she eventually left in order to start her own business.

This brought her to Samui, where she’d already vacationed a few times. She saw the need for international entertainment here for holidaymakers, so she decided to set something up to fill that gap. The team she has put together is highly creative (just check out their YouTube videos) and can put on just about any kind of show for resorts, or for weddings, birthday parties and so on. If you have a theme, they can go with this and bring your ideas to the stage. Kathi recently did a show centred around the idea of masks, for example. Shows can feature diverse elements such as silks, avant-garde backgrounds and dancers covered in LED-lights.

These are just a few examples of what they can do.

Sometimes people wonder why she chose the name Air Event.

The word, air, turns out to be an acronym, the initials for the company’s motto, Art Inspires Reality. And if you watch one of the team’s performances you can see that this literally is the case; they’re using choreography to turn gymnastics into very precise presentations of what the human body is capable of. And while it may seem impossible or at least downright magical, these are no optical illusions, only reality.

Asia Travel is the most popular travel agency on Koh Samui. Established 15 years ago, they are well known to provide updated travel information reasonably priced for all international and domestic needs. Their second to none consultancy service will help you with all aspects of long or short stay requirements such as visa, work permit or company registration and finances. Asia Travel is well known for their quality services as mentioned in The Lonely Planet.

Tel: 0 7723 6120, 0 7742 1342 Fax: 0 7742 1185 Email: asia_int@samart.co.th For Taxi: ร้านตั้งอยู่ที่ถนนหน้าทอน

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When it comes to dance, all kinds are possible. Ballet, Latin, hip-hop, rock ‘n roll, swing, jazz are just a few examples. Kathi also has a professional choreographer, Nikita Chobanyan, who co-ordinates the team. They live and breathe their art, and practise most days, which leads us to Air Event and Entertainment’s other function: teaching.

Kathi has also set up a dance and fitness studio, Air Dance & Wellfit Boutique, that’s dedicated to helping others learn. At the time of going to press, it’s probably the only place on the island that offers everything: any kind of dance at all. And then for fitness, cardio, aerobics and power training. There’s also rehab stretching, yoga, pole-dancing and even Capoeira.

You might think it’d be exorbitantly expensive to train under such professionals, but this turns out not to be the case. A class costs just 300 Baht, and if you take eight per month, it’s 2,000 Baht, and if 12, then 2,800 Baht. Although it’s the new kid on the fitness block, classes are proving really popular and people keep coming back.

Air Event & Entertainment and Air Dance & Wellfit Boutique are relatively easy to find. In Choeng Mon, they share a building on the road between Big Buddha and Chaweng in Plai Laem. As you head towards Chaweng, turn left into Plai Laem Soi 4 (signposted) and follow the road up till you see the studio on your right-hand side. On Google maps, you can also key in Air Wellfit and this will take you to the relevant page.

The team is small, lean and has a very fine creative edge. Still new, they’re undoubtedly going to become well-known on the island in the future. Watch out for their appearances, and meantime, if you fancy getting fit or practising dance, then join them at their studio.

Dimitri Waring

__________________________________________________________ For further information, telephone 0 993 122 194. www.airentertain.com, www.airwellfit.com

138 l www.samuiholiday.com

PROPERTY CLASSIFIED

Villa for Rent/Sale - Yupa Villa 1 5 fully furnished bedrooms with air-con throughout. All bedrooms ensuite, one with jacuzzi.

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3 fully furnished bedrooms with air-con throughout. All bedrooms ensuite, one with jacuzzi.

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The actual view from this house is the picture above. This 4-bedroom house has been built according to European standards on 972 sqm. It is centrally located near Nathon and only 500 metres from the main road in a small, warm and tidy community. Priced very competitively, this house is ideal for couples or young families ready to live in paradise.

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